Law and Disorder
by PinkDragonStrike
Summary: Sesshoumaru Takahashi, the handsome player and infamously cold hearted defense attorney was counting down the days until his father's retirement so that the firm could fall into his hands. But when a toddler and a mock trial get thrown into the picture, the arrogant DA discovers a few new things about life, love, and law.
1. Chapter 1

**Law and Disorder**

_ I don't own Inuyasha_**  
**

**Chapter 1**

_Sesshoumaru Takahashi, the handsome player and infamously cold hearted defense attorney was counting down the days until his father's retirement so that the firm could fall into his hands. But when a toddler and a mock trial get thrown into the picture, the arrogant DA discovers a few new things about life, love, and law._

The sun's slow rise poured into the bedroom moving slowly from the window seal over onto the white carpet to show off a spacious bedroom. The furnishings were masculine with an earthy tone that screamed of a bachelor pad. It would have stubbornly rebelled any woman's touch.

The sun continued it's journey throughout the room revealing a bottle of wine on the dresser with two glasses, one a victim of the night's events as it lay on its side. Leopard print stilettos laid carelessly at the foot of the bed as the red cocktail dress seemed to be shed at the entrance of the door.

The sun woke him to find the brunette from the night before. Like the others, she was nothing to concern himself over past the night. She had nearly thrown herself at him when he was leaving the office yesterday. Another desperate gold-digger too easy to keep for the long haul so long as the money was good. He had begun to regret that he hadn't sent her home right after. The morning after always proved more of a challenge.

Sitting on the side of the bed he combed his fingers through his long silver hair. He smirked at the thought of his ancestor's trait. Maybe there was some truth about his family's relation to demons from feudal Japan.

He looked back at the brunette again. 'What did she say her name was?'

"Hey" he was rewarded as the woman opened her eyes to his snapping fingers not an inch from her face. She looked disoriented and obviously hung over.

"Wha…what time…?"

"Time for you to go. Get your stuff and leave."

Of course it was nothing new to him as he watched her with slight amusement as she moved awkwardly about the room trying to find her scattered clothing. The woman dressed with some uncertainty stumbling a few times trying to get the stilettos on her feet. He figured that she was waiting for the right time to ask for something.

"Can I get some money for a cab? I don't have any on me."

"Not my problem. I've got work in an hour."

He had a strict policy on not dropping a dime on a one night stand.

"Can I at least get a ride?"

"Don't have time."

"Jerk!"

"There's the door. I'll call you." He smirked as she slammed the door behind her.

… …

He entered the building met by glares. He was used to the usual standoffish behavior of his colleagues, so acknowledging their behavior would make them happier that he noticed that they were shooting daggers at him. Instead he ignored them which he knew would further infuriate them beyond repair. It was never his style to bounce into the building joyfully with 'good mornings' and 'hellos'. It was always just business and he reveled in the thought of making them look bad.

He entered his office placing his briefcase on the desk. The windows of the office gave him full view of the city. He watched the streets momentarily to gather his thoughts for the day. But what amused him was the people who hurried on their way to jobs that were hardly fulfilling. An errand boy obviously working his first day on the job spilling coffee and losing paperwork as he ran down the street. No doubt he was working his poor heart right out of his chest to climb from the doldrums in order to only find himself licking more butt of the socially elite. A woman on her cell phone nearly colliding with a pastry delivery guy on a bike as she lost the heel to her shoe. The assumption there would have been that she was trying to close the deal on the sale of the condo across the street as the pastry guy had gotten behind on deliveries. Of course the dog walker was perfectly in the mix as she tried to figure out why life had given her such a crappy job as she tried to wrangle the dogs away from the street vendor who was setting up for another day of worthless sales. It was all so pointless.

He couldn't understand why people set out on such lifeless ventures. But then again, he supposed someone had to do it. Not everyone was capable of making something worthwhile out of themselves. He had grown up in private schools all his life and of course had graduated top of his class from the top law school in the country at 23. It had been almost three years since then and he had proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. If there was a loophole, he found it and if there wasn't one he had a knack for making the prosecutors look just as guilty if not more so than his clients. The whole reason that he had become a defense attorney was because of the challenge of it all. The people were merely chess pieces. If he lost (rarely), then so be it. But when he won, which was more often than not, the bragging rights held just as big of a sway as the pay day itself.

Sesshoumaru seated himself at his desk and looked over the paperwork for the cases that he was currently working until he heard a knock at his door.

He looked up to see the only other person that he communicated with on a regular basis at the firm aside from his father. Rin.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru. I pulled the information for the case that you asked for."

"Just sit it there."

"Can I get you anything else?"

"No, this is fine."

Rin was an administrative assistant and had been hired onto the firm two years ago at the age of twenty-one after the last receptionist quit. She had gotten her associates from one of the local community colleges and hadn't pursued anything higher. Rin had a bubbly personality and spoke to everyone. She worked without complaint and always seemed to find a way to smile everyday.

To Sesshoumaru, she seemed bright enough to have gone further than an associate's degree but he never questioned why she hadn't. It didn't really matter anyway.

"Oh, your father would like to see you when you get the chance."

"That's fine."

She nodded with her familiar smile as she left the room.

…. ….

Taisho was quite the enigma to most who knew him. He had his own rationale for doing things a certain way. More often than not he always got the job done though. He could have cut the air with a knife when he announced that he would be retiring within the year. There were other ventures that he wished to pursue. Of course that didn't sit well with some of the coworkers and though none had quit yet, threats had been made if the firm was turned over to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru entered his father's office, half expecting him to be working on his putting. However, the elder sat at his desk thumbing through paper work. Sesshoumaru took his seat and noted his older mirror image. His father's long silver hair was pulled back into a low pony tail as golden eyes, like his own, remained hidden behind reading glasses that sat at the tip of his nose at the moment. The man was well dressed and kept in shape. He hardly looked his age.

"Sesshoumaru, how are your cases coming along?"

"Without flaw as always."

The elder chuckled. His son was a perfectionist who had confidence to match.

"I would expect no less."

"Are you taking your usual vacation this year?"

Taisho looked up from his paper work as he removed the glasses from his nose.

"Actually, that's why I called you in here today. I'll be taking my vacation but I'll be extending it to finish working on my book. As you already know, I'll be retiring at the end of this year so, of course I wouldn't ask anyone else to watch over this firm for the next three months but you. Think you can handle that?"

Sesshoumaru smirked as he responded, "Do you have any doubt?"

"I'm glad that you feel so confident. Some of your colleagues don't, though I'm sure you already know that."

"You can't please everyone."

"Very true. However, I would be lying if I said I didn't take their concerns to heart." The elder leaned back as he laced his fingers. "Sesshoumaru, some of the things that they've pointed out to me I can't ignore. Your work ethic is one thing but your interpersonal skills well…they could use some work."

"Don't tell me that they're upset that I don't smile and wave to them in the morning?"

"Sesshoumaru…"

"Father please. I'm surprised you're letting their petty concerns bother you so much."

"Sesshoumaru stop and think for a moment. It's not just their _petty _concerns that are bothering me. I've worked far too hard and for too long to build this firm and bring in some of the best people that I know. When I leave I expect it to be in the same shape that it's in now if not better fifty years down the road. I care about the people that are working for me and I don't want to lose those people when this firm falls into your hands."

"They're not going anywhere."

Inutaisho sighed. "You're confident?"

"Of course."

"Hiro, has been by my home at least three times in the last two months trying to persuade me not to retire. Of course I refused so he returned, again trying to persuade me to think twice before handing the firm down to you. Be careful that your confidence doesn't become your downfall."

"What are you saying? That you would choose a friend over blood?"

"No, I'm not saying that but Hiro was one of my best and he's threatening to leave the firm. I tried reasoning with him but it seems I can't get him to see things my way."

"And this is supposed to concern me?"

"If you think that the loss of one that is as influential as he is won't cause a domino effect, then you're wrong."

Sesshoumaru watched his father fall into deep thought.

"Some confidence you have in me..."

"Dear boy my confidence does not wane in your skills. Why don't you join me tonight for dinner. I need to discuss something else with you but I think it would be appropriate to wait until then."

He hadn't been by his father's home in some time even though they didn't live that far from each other. He had his reasons for not visiting. But the invitation really wasn't one that he could turn down especially after the conversation that they had just had.

"Fine."

"Call if you need directions." The elder smiled as he started thumbing through paperwork again.

* * *

_A/N: Hi everyone! Yup, I've started another one! Must love Fluff :)_

_Leave a review and let me know what you think?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Law and Disorder**

_I have no rights to Inuyasha_**  
**

**Chapter 2 - Dinner **

Sesshoumaru mentally prepared himself. He had been to his father's home twice in the last three years, the more recent of the two, he didn't count. The first time that he had been there three years ago, the evening had not ended well. The whole situation had begun with one of his rare visits. His father had introduced him to his new wife, Izaiyoi and newborn child, Inuyasha. He had been shocked. Though he had been preoccupied by other matters at the time, his father had never informed him of any serious relationship. From the moment he had met Izaiyoi, he didn't like her not that she was any different than the women that his father had met in the past, but this one had managed to get as far as marrying the man and having a child. It all seemed to happen so quickly.

Sesshoumaru figured she was out for his father's money even though his father denied it. Taisho had been adamant about his love for Izaiyoi and he had been the one to suggest marriage. He and his father had exchanged words that night. Not more than a month later did Sesshoumaru find out that Izaiyoi was sick and had passed. Her health had been fading back when she first met his father. The real reason his father had married her and had the child so quickly was not only because he loved her but to fulfill her last wishes.

Sesshoumaru could never quite swallow the fact that his father could be so devoted to a woman, so in love with her, that he would take the burden and expenses of a child upon himself at this point in his life. To him, his father had bitten off more than he could chew. Even so, an apology lingered in the back of Sesshoumaru's thoughts that he simply couldn't bring to the forefront.

...

Through dinner, Taisho found himself watching his son alternating between watching the door and his Rolex almost as if waiting for the right words or the right moment to let himself out the door. He purposefully hadn't started the conversation that was the very reason for inviting his aloof son to dinner.

The heavy chuckle brought Sesshoumaru's attention to his father.

"Is there something funny?"

"Only you my boy. Don't tell me I'm holding you up from an engagement?"

"No. However, I'm sure there was something that you invited me here to talk about."

"Of course. You know it's been almost three years since Izaiyoi passed…"

Sesshoumaru tensed out of anticipation trying to think of a way to step around the subject if his father was determined to go there.

"…Inuyasha knows little about her but he misses her as do I. There's someone else he also knows little about and yet he misses _him_ as well."

Sesshoumaru relaxed slightly realizing that the conversation wasn't going to take the turn he was dreading. Instead, it had gone down a completely different path of unrealistic expectations.

"Father, we've had this discussion time and time again."

"I certainly think it's one worth revisiting."

"No…it's really not."

"Sesshoumaru, I know you're tired of this conversation but it's one that can be easily put to an end."

"You're right." Sesshoumaru got up to leave.

"Sesshoumaru!"

"You're kidding yourself if you think I'm going to welcome him with open arms, let alone be responsible for him should something happen to you."

"Yet, you have no problem being sole heir to everything else that I own. He is your family."

"He's your family! He's your problem, not mine."

"Do you hear yourself? He is my blood just as you are."

"That doesn't mean I have to accept him."

The elder stood from his seat, tapping the back of the chair in thought, unsure of how to return a response.

"You asked me earlier today if I would choose friend over blood and I told you no. Nothing means more to me than you and Inuyasha. Yet, you're willing to accept an inanimate objects before you'll accept your own brother? I don't understand what you have against the child."

"You know it's not the same. You were a fool to allow this to happen. The child shouldn't even exist."

The elder had an inkling of what was going on with his oldest. Sesshoumaru's inability to accept Inuyasha had nothing to do with himself or Izaiyoi. It was bad timing. Sesshoumaru and his girlfriend were an absolute disaster.

"This isn't about Inuyasha or Izaiyoi. This is about _her_."

"This is your mistake, not mine."

"I guarantee that I've made no mistake. You're simply still not over _her_. It's understandable, you gave her two years of your life, maybe more just to compensate for what she didn't give back. She lied to you from the start. She knew that child was never yours."

"Father…"

"You were in love with her, just like I was with Izaiyoi but you couldn't admit it. The night she left and you came here..."

Sesshoumaru's memories raced back to that night. Admittedly, he had been blind sided. Two years erased in ten minutes.

"What's the point in bringing this up?"

"Inuyasha is certainly young enough to be yours. You knew Izaiyoi wasn't after me for my money when she died but you couldn't say the same for _her_."

Father and son were interrupted from their conversation as they looked at the little boy walking in and rubbing his eyes with a stuffed animal in hand.

"Daddy"

Taisho picked up the small boy. "Inuyasha, I didn't realize you were up."

"You were yelling." The little boy covered his ears.

"Sorry about that."

"Who's that?"

"You don't remember Sesshoumaru do you?"

"Big brother?" Inuyasha questioned surprised pulling out of his father's arms to get down as he recognized the name.

Sesshoumaru shot his father a glare wishing that he had have left when he had the chance.

Inuyasha looked up at Sesshoumaru as if studying him for a moment then, as if he deemed it were safe, he raised his arms.

Sesshoumaru hesitated.

"He won't bite Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha shifted the leg of the stuffed animal to his mouth as if to help the situation and Taisho smirked.

Inuyasha found himself comfortably at eye level with his older brother.

"Are you big brother?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Yes." Sesshoumaru noted how much Inuyasha looked like he and his father. The same golden eyes and silver hair were too dominant to miss. Features that he never saw in the child that he wanted to accept.

"Daddy sees you a lot." Inuyasha nodded the words.

Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement.

"We work at the same place every day."

"I never see you?"

"I have my own place."

"Oh."

Inuyasha yawned as he rested his head against his brother's chest, his eyes falling halfway. Sesshoumaru pulled back.

"I see you soon?"

"Probably not."

He placed the child back on his feet not wanting to be stuck with Inuyasha falling asleep against him. Inuyasha looked up at him confused.

"Come here Inuyasha." The child complied with his father and hung off of his leg as if the elder were an old tree, still curious about his older brother.

"A little tact wouldn't hurt, Sesshoumaru."

"I'll see you Monday."

* * *

_A/N: Much appreciation to all who read and reviewed :-) Happy Holidays Everyone!_

**Chapter 3:** _Mock Trial_


	3. Chapter 3

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_**  
**

**Chapter 3 - Mock Trial**

Rin reached out from underneath the covers to slap the alarm clock as it went off for the second time. She got up and looked herself over in the mirror on her way out of the room.

"Ugh."

She would have to work a miracle to pull herself together this morning. The no iron dress would make its appearance today. She placed a bagel in the toaster as she washed her face and tried to wrangle her hair into something acceptable.

She said a small prayer as she grabbed the bagel, her bag and ran to her car.

"You can do this girl." She encouraged as she turned the ignition. She clapped her hands together and threw the car in reverse before it had the chance to cut off.

Rin yawned and frowned at the computer screen before she resolved to lay her head on the desk. She had only been to work for thirty minutes and she was already tired. The roommates that lived next to her came back at 3am talking loud and laughing for no good reason. Not to mention this past week had been her worst yet. Hiro and Sesshoumaru had worked her into the ground. She had lost count of how many times they called on her to run an errand, make coffee, make copies, create and send letters, schedule clients, and pull files on top of answering disgruntled phone calls. The list went on and on. She wouldn't have complained if they were the only ones in the office. She was starting to feel like she was their personal assistant rather than the office assistant. She hated the fact that the two of them competed as if their careers depended on it. She was sure Sesshoumaru was in the lead. If he asked her to make another excuse for a one Ms. Sara Sukido, the stalker, she was going to just put the woman through. One of these days she was going to work up the nerve to give them a piece of her mind. But for now, she told her herself to rest her eyes and when she opened them again she would put a smile on her face and head into the storm.

Sesshoumaru looked at his watch as he sat at the edge of the desk. The snoozing woman was oblivious to his presence. He wondered how long she had been sleeping on the job. Despite her current state, she was relentlessly dependable. Even aside from her work, Rin wasn't like the vast array of women waiting to fling themselves at him. She was the exact opposite, completely disinterested. On first glance, those big brown eyes and innocent smile would have led any man to believe she would be an easy catch. Sesshoumaru knew better. Rin was a long term relationship waiting to happen which is precisely why she was off limits to him.

Rin smiled and then started to laugh. Opening her eyes, she saw the flower from her vase laying next to her. She then realized where she had fallen asleep and who was sitting on her desk.

"Oh…Sesshoumaru! Good morning."

Had he just woken her up by tickling her cheek with a flower? Rin ducked behind her computer screen hoping to hide the blush that was creeping up.

"Your work ethic isn't slipping I hope?"

"No. It was just a long night."

"Oh?"

"Noisy neighbors. What did you need?"

He smirked noticing the blush she was trying to hide, "Nothing."

"You always have something for me to do."

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Of course."

Despite Sesshoumaru's chilly side, there was something charming about him. Dangerously, charming. Rin pulled the notepad from her drawer, made sure the pen had plenty of ink and followed him into his office. There was no doubt the list would be daunting.

…

Her fatigued, bare feet touched each and every creaky step. The elevator had been out of order for the last two weeks and she doubted the old thing would be fixed any time soon. Rin was thankful that she only lived three floors up rather than the twelve that the building boasted. She shifted the bags on her arms, her heels peeking scarily over the side of her work bag. Now, if only she could maneuver the key into the lock without dropping anything she was home free. Success. She blew out a sigh as she let everything land on the table. It wobbled for a moment before she placed the stack of mail on it to balance it out.

Rin frowned as she picked up the first piece of mail and opened it. The bill for the loan she had taken out to go to school. She looked down at the remaining stack. Bills, bills, and more bills. Every month was the same. What little she could have been saving, she sent to her family.

She had left home as soon as she graduated high school. There wasn't any room left and she didn't want to be a burden to her parents. They already had three younger mouths to feed. They had only been living on one income. Her dad lost his job when she was 17, and they had yet to really bounce back.

Rin was trying to make her family proud, being the first one to graduate from college with a four year degree. She only made it halfway before her family became desperate just to get food on the table. She had skipped the graduation ceremony. It wasn't her dream to walk across the stage in a cap and gown for a half accomplished goal. She opted for interviews and worked as a waitress before she finally landed the job at the firm.

Sitting on the couch, Rin picked up the cup of Ramen as a commercial played on the t.v. screen. She flipped the channel. If she had to hear that jingle about getting connected through the internet for an education again she was going to scream; although she had to admit that criminal justice was starting to become more interesting than business. Rin knew there was no time to dream outlandish dreams though. What did she know about the law? She shook her head. Even if she could go back to school, there would be no chance of her passing the Bar. She had heard horror stories about that exam. Only the smartest people passed. She rolled her eyes as she thought about Sesshoumaru. She could see it in her head now, trying to go up against him in the courtroom. _'Sesshoumaru Takahashi, your client is guilty, guilty, guilty. He's got life with no chance of parole. Better luck next time Sesshoumaru.' _she laughed to herself as she imagined the judge's ruling and her rubbing in her win. As her laughter faded, she knew the truth. She would just look like some silly little girl compared to him. Becoming a lawyer was out of the question. It was an outlandish dream and that's all that it would ever be.

Her phone lit up and danced on the coffee table. She picked it up and looked at the I.D as she hurried to swallow the mouth full of noodles. What was Taisho doing calling her at this time of the day?

"Hello"

_Rin, how are you this evening?_

"Good, and yourself?"

_Very well, thanks. I have a favor to ask of you in regard to a mock trial. You'll be paid generously if you agree._

She couldn't deny that this kind of thing was typical of Taisho. He would ask her to do menial odd jobs and would pay her time and a half for it, sometimes more. She got the feeling that sometimes Taisho knew she was struggling to make ends meet.

…

Inuyasha clung to her hand as they made their way to the office. She immediately became nervous as she met Sesshoumaru's gaze. She had heard Taisho delve out the conditions of the mock trial. Rin figured that she had agreed to something that was way over her head. But, Taisho had been convincing on the phone that everything would work out, that Sesshoumaru would be willing to do whatever was necessary. Now, she wasn't so sure that that was going to be the case. What exactly had she gotten herself into?

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Happy New Year!_

**Chapter 4:** _The Conditions  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 4 - The Conditions**

The redhead that passed him in the hall on the way to the elevator bit her lip and winked at him. He barely paid her any attention although she and her friend had made it quite the weekend. As Sesshoumaru walked into the office he noticed several of his colleagues gathered around his father who was perched on one of the desks. He assumed his father was making his usual small talk with his colleagues which he usually didn't take part in. It was such a waste of productive time.

It was nearing the end of the day when Sesshoumaru saw Rin return to the office with Inuyasha. Her gaze was uncharacteristic, lingering like a message to be relayed to the first available listener. It wasn't long after, that Taisho called a meeting in his office.

Rin found herself uncomfortable. What was usually a spacious office was now taken up by the presence of egos. Maybe it was more of the equivalent of placing oneself in the midst of a battlefield. Looking to the left or the right would mean you were taking a side. But she had chosen her side in this battle unbeknownst to the two men sitting on either side.

"Now that we're all here let me get down to the reason that I called this meeting . Of course I'll be headed out of town next week on my usual vacation. Sesshoumaru, the office has been informed that you will be overseeing things while I'm gone. Hiro also has a stake in this as well. He has the role of being my eyes and ears…"

"You expect that he'll tell you the truth."

"Why shouldn't he? Don't tell me you simply expect him to take your word that everything ran perfectly fine under your inexperienced, brash, leadership?"

"Inexperienced? I've won more cases in my three years than you have in ten."

"Experience trumps luck Sesshoumaru."

Taisho interrupted the two as Rin took a deep breath, "Enough of this. You two enjoy good healthy competition which is exactly why I'm challenging the both of you in a mock trial. Prove your cases. Hiro, you're accusing Sesshoumaru of lacking leadership skills are you not? For the sake of making this an actual crime in a mock trial we'll say it's perjury, lying under oath about one's…credentials. And Sesshoumaru, you deny it. Hiro, you'll have three months to build your case and you'll only be allowed three witnesses. Choose wisely. Sesshoumaru, you have to prove Hiro wrong but everyone knows that defending oneself in a trial is a bad omen. You have three months to teach Rin everything you know to get yourself off the hook. If Sesshoumaru is found innocent Hiro, the firm falls into his hands immediately and I get to take an extended vacation. Sesshoumaru, if you're found guilty, Hiro will take lead for six months of which I will require that you work closely with him to gain the experience you need before officially running this firm. Any questions?"

"Three months is not possibly long enough to teach Rin the law."

"But, I can call as many witnesses as I choose right?"

"In your case that might do more harm than help."

"Ah…Sesshoumaru…"

"Look, I'm at more of a disadvantage than Sesshoumaru. I only get three witnesses. I can't even choose Rin. Everyone knows she's the closest thing to getting into his head in this office. I find that these scales are already tipped in someone's favor."

"Huh?" Rin tilted her head as Sesshoumaru ignored the comment all together.

"Hiro, you can't possibly convince anyone that you're scared this girl will make a mockery of you."

"Hey!" Rin looked between the two feeling as if she was being completely ignored.

"Alright, enough. I'm not tipping the scales for anyone Hiro. Sesshoumaru, do the best that you can. It's as fair as it's going to get."

Hiro shook his head as he left the office.

"Sesshoumaru, one last thing. I need a huge favor."

…

Rin listened to Sesshoumaru and his father go back and forth over his having to watch Inuyasha for the better part of three months. After the offer of what she calculated to be the equivalent of her yearly earnings, Sesshoumaru had begrudgingly agreed. She chewed at her lower lip. She felt some obligation to calm the storm. She had put her hand in the fire by agreeing to help out with Inuyasha while Sesshoumaru was teaching her the ins and outs of trying to defend him.

She figured that on some level, she wanted to prove to Sesshoumaru that she could be more than an assistant and show him that she deserved more respect than what he gave. The same went for Hiro. If she could somehow win against him, she could brag on it forever, not that she really would. Still, it sounded good.

Sesshoumaru paced in the lobby outside of the office space then sat on a bench, resting his chin on his fists seemingly plotting on how to make this go away.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"This is a joke. I can't believe you would agree to this."

It wasn't usually her style to let Sesshoumaru's words offend her but this time they did.

"I can do this…"

"You can't win."

"I can't win on my own but if you'd just teach me everything you know I could…"

"Don't worry about it. I'll defend myself."

"That's not even part of the rules. You don't think that I'm smart enough do you? You have no faith in me because I'm just the assistant."

"I didn't say that."

"But that's what you meant. That's why I decided to do this. To show you and Hiro and everyone else here that I'm capable. You walk around here like you're so great, but you don't think anyone else is remotely capable of doing what you do."

"Three months is not nearly long enough to teach you years worth of information on top of keeping the firm organized and taking care of Inuyasha. No."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"Rin, there's no reason for you to try to prove yourself to anyone. Just drop it."

Rin couldn't believe it. Sesshoumaru wasn't even open to the suggestion and he was cutting her off every time she tried to make her own case. If she was going to show him she could win, she had to do it now.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm representing you whether you like it or not…"

"Rin…"

"You have the right to remain silent so don't interrupt me. You are going to teach me every single thing you know even if it kills us both. Hiro is not going win. I am going to prove your innocence even if you're as guilty as the day is long, you got it. So don't tell me you don't have the time or you have too many other responsibilities. You've never made excuses for yourself when it's come to your work so don't make them for me!"

Sesshoumaru leaned back quirked an eyebrow. The young woman standing before him wasn't the most put together or the most confident but she was determined. He had to admit on some level, that he actually kind of liked seeing her take a stand for herself.

"Lesson one down. I hope you're a quick learner."

"Well let's just hope the teacher can teach."

"Of course…"

"Big brother!" Inuyasha cut him off jumping into his lap.

"…ugh"

Rin smirked, and quirked an eyebrow mimicking Sesshoumaru's tone, "Are you sure you're up for it?"

* * *

_A/N: As always thanks for the reviews :)_

**Chapter 5: **_Playing the Game_


	5. Chapter 5

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 5 - Playing the Game**

Sesshoumaru woke in a daze to find his blaring cell phone which was threatening to bury itself in the back of the sofa. He reached for it, missing it the first time and tried again. If only he could wrangle his other arm free and sit up without disrupting the child. Stopping the alarm he looked down at Inuyasha. At some point during the night, the child had managed to attach to him like a parasite.

Taisho had finally left for his vacation which meant Inuyasha would be a permanent resident for the next three months. The first two days hadn't been so bad, but then there was last night when the little demon came out. Inuyasha put up the fight of the century. Bed time? What bed time? According to the child, bed time was prime play time. They had gone back and forth for hours. Inuyasha would be put in the bed and it never failed that he got right back up in protest. Leg clinging, breath holding, and catch me if you can were all highlights. By midnight, Sesshoumaru was so tired he had waved the white flag and had succumb to the child's request to watch a movie about a clown fish trying to find his son.

…

Sesshoumaru was met with glances of his coworkers. Late was nowhere in the man's vocabulary. Death was the only excuse one should have to be behind schedule. The child struggling to keep up from behind was easily read as the source of the defense attorney's uncharacteristic lateness and most likely the cause of the annoyance that was easily read against what should have been an impassive mask.

"Don't tell me you're already taking liberties boss. Thirty minutes late on your first day? You're not making a very good impression on your potential employees."

"Hiro, I'm surprised that after all your years working here you're still so interested in fictitious cases. I suppose those are the only ones you ever win."

"Sesshoumaru, my young protégé, you have so much to learn. We'll see how smug you are when you're the one sitting in front of the firing squad. Have your fun playing make believe boss."

Hiro walked by Sesshoumaru as the coworker in the background suddenly jerked her eyes back to her computer and pretended to type.

Once they settled into the office, Inuyasha seemed perfectly content to color quietly. Sesshoumaru appreciated the lack of interruption.

Rin entered the room, smiling brilliantly at Inuyasha as he ran up to hug her and hand her the page that he was coloring.

"Ms. Rin look!"

"Inuyasha it's wonderful!"

"It's for you."

"Well I'll put this right on my desk to show everyone what a little artist you are."

"Ok"

Rin knitted her brow as she looked at Sesshoumaru trying to figure out why he had brought Inuyasha to the office with him. A daycare center would have been more appropriate.

"Coffee."

'Oh geez.' She thought as she scribbled a reminder at the top of her notepad: _Did not window watch this morning. Listen carefully._ His responses would be three words max to direct questions.

"Sesshoumaru, why is Inuyasha…?"

"Work on that."

"How far? How much?"

"3 miles, whatever."

"3 mi…?" Never mind. Are we studying tonight?"

"Hmph."

"Where?"

"My place, 7:30."

"No!"

"What?!" Sesshoumaru looked up from the screen trying to figure out what had been so alarming about the suggestion.

"I mean...why don't we just stay here?"

"I would but I didn't bring enough to keep the little demon entertained."

"Oh, right."

Sesshoumaru had never experienced a woman being nervous about coming to his place. If anything, they would have been perched on his couch or bed before he got there if only they had known the address.

"What are you doing for dinner tonight?"

"I hadn't thought about it."

"Join me. It'll be somewhere neutral and we can talk."

"Ok, sounds good."

Rin let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

…

"The grilled salmon here is exquisite."

Inuyasha made a face happily biting into a chicken nugget. Rin laughed at his aversion to the fish as she playfully made the face back. Sesshoumaru caught himself nearly smiling at the two of them. What was it about her that was actually starting make him nervous? He did his best to regain the cool confidence he always exuded. This was just Rin.

"So, what exactly has this book taught you so far?" He picked up the book she had place on the table, _Law and Ethics_.

"Well, so far I know that there's a different standard of proof for criminal and civil actions."

"Criminal is all you need to know. What's the standard?"

"Stakes are higher in criminal cases. In other words Hiro has to prove every part of the criminal charge. Which means he has to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. There would have to be no questions in the minds of the jury as to your guilt because you're innocent until proven guilty."

"Good. You can throw the book away now."

"What? How am I supposed to know if I'm going by the rules?"

"Tch, what rules? You read the basics. We've got three months. The biggest thing you need to know is how to fire at witnesses that Hiro calls on."

"What do you mean?"

"Ok. The whole office saw me walk in late this morning right?"

"Right."

"Wrong."

"Wrong?!"

"Let's say Hiro called Lena up to the stand. Supposedly she saw me walk in late. Did she look at the clock or did she have her face buried in her computer? Does she even actually know what time I arrive at work? How does she know I didn't call in? She's got to be sure of what she saw. If she's strictly going off of what other people are saying, it's hearsay and it won't stand up."

"But she's going to be sure that you were late."

"Not if you're good and know how to start placing doubts in her mind that I wasn't. If she starts to stumble over what she saw and questions herself, how can she possibly be helping the jury come to the conclusion that I'm guilty?"

"That just sounds like…I don't know."

"Like what?"

"Well, I would hate for someone to start putting doubts in my mind if I knew the truth."

"It's a mock trial."

"But, it holds real consequences. This is how you get guilty people off in real life?"

"I'm not defending guilty people remember? I'm defending innocent people who have been accused of a crime."

"You're right, but can you honestly say that you've never successfully defended someone who you knew was completely guilty… at all?"

"No, but I don't ask them to divulge that they slit their next door neighbor's throat and left them there to..."

"Sesshoumaru..." Rin nodded in Inuyasha's direction. The child was already frowning in his direction.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that you don't put yourself in the person's shoes that you're firing at. If you let your feelings get involved you'll end up shooting yourself down and you'll lose the game. It's that simple."

She looked down and jabbed her fork at the fish. She hadn't quite pictured it to be this way but, she couldn't blame him. He wasn't the bad guy here. He'd obviously gotten a lot of innocent people off, but it wasn't about that for him. This was about a track record, a game to be played for the glory of the win and he wanted her to play it the same way. But maybe she didn't look at it so differently than Sesshoumaru. Hadn't part of her reasoning been for the glory of the win against Hiro?

"Look, it's ok if you can't handle it. Why don't we quit while we're ahead and let me do what I do best...win."

Rin picked up her glass, sat back and took a sip. "Sesshoumaru, you're not going to get rid of me that easily. You can start lesson three any time you're ready."

He handed his card to the waiter to pay their bill without taking his eyes off her, "I figured as much."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reviewing everyone! Super inspired :-)_

**Chapter 6: **_So Close __  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 6 - So Close**

Despite Rin's initial reluctance to go to Sesshoumaru's home, she had finally agreed. She figured after a few nights eating out she at least owed he and Inuyasha a home cooked meal. Lasagna was the only dish that Inuyasha would agree on with his brother. The child made the specific request that he see cheese pull away like in the pizza commercials. That comment had brought a subdued laugh from Sesshoumaru that she herself almost couldn't enjoy through her own.

Sesshoumaru leaned against the island, a spectator to this display of artfully mastered destruction to one's kitchen. Rin moved about as if she lived there all her life. The woman might as well have been doing the waltz moving from cabinet to pan in her apron adorned with mini watermelons. She'd thrown her hair into an otherwise elegant mess to keep it out of the way. What was it that was so mesmerizing about watching her create the nest of hair sitting on her head? He shook the thought of her doing this on a more regular basis away. They needed to make it through three months and that kind of thinking wasn't making it easy. Sesshoumaru reminded himself that she was off limits. Besides, she had never given him any reason to approach and only kids had crushes. She was just…interesting.

"I have an audience?"

"You do."

"So, have you figured out how to show the office that you have great leadership skills? You know, the opposite of the ones you use every morning ignoring everyone like they don't exist."

"I hadn't thought about it."

Rin shook her head as she started layering the noodles, cheese, and sauce.

"What?"

"If you took the time to get to know your own coworkers you'd realize that there are a lot of very smart and interesting people in the office."

"Hn."

"I'm serious. You think you know people but you don't."

"It's my job to know people."

"Ok…" She smiled as she placed the lasagna in the oven and sat across from him. "What do you know about me?"

"Challenge me when you ask me questions."

"I am. What do you know?"

"Ok, you're twenty-three, you have an associate's degree, you like kids...need I go on?"

"Please do." She waited as she watched him mull through his thoughts.

"One second."

"I can give you ten minutes and you wouldn't be able to think of anything else."

"What do you know about me?"

"You're twenty-six, you have one sibling of course, you played baseball when you were in college, you graduated top of your class and passed the Bar on your first try, you prefer the Ferrari on sunny days, and you've only had three losses in your career."

"This Sesshoumaru is disappointed that that's all you know."

"You've never asked me anything about my family, my past, or what I like to do in my off time. You know how to defend people, but you don't really care to know about them. Hiro, Lena, Koru, Misha and all of the other people that work at the firm are important too, but you don't have a clue about any of them."

Sesshoumaru knew she was right. He had never thought to ask Rin anything about her family. He didn't even know if she had siblings. Aside from names, he didn't have a clue about anyone else in the firm. He had assumed that if his father hired them they must have made the grade.

"Maybe I should get to know my colleagues…a little."

"Mmm…a lot if you want me to have a chance at proving your innocence."

…

After Inuyasha exclaimed his satisfaction with the cheesiness of the lasagna he had promptly gone off to play and had fallen asleep underneath the coffee table. Sesshoumaru had expressed his complements with slightly less enthusiasm than his younger brother but Rin was just glad they enjoyed it.

They had focused on a few case studies before they were essentially burned out from trying to prepare for everything under the sun. Sesshoumaru and Rin both realized that at some point a midst the studying they had closed their distance to one another and had become more comfortable. Rin leaned her head back expecting to find a pillow and instead she found Sesshoumaru's arm. She had no idea when he put it back there.

"So, exactly how many siblings do you have?"

"Three, two brothers and a sister. I'm the oldest and you were right, that I like kids. Good guess."

"I was right about the associate's degree too."

"Yeah."

"I wasn't asking, thank you." He smirked as she poked him in the side playfully.

"So what made you stop at an associate's?"

"My family needed the money so I had to get a full time job. I could've kept going but it would have been too much of a strain."

"I figured you had something to get in the way. You didn't strike me as the type that would just fail or quit for no reason."

"So what about you? Did you always want to be an attorney?"

"You know my father. I didn't dream about anything else but being like him. There was never a question of whether I'd chosen the right major."

"It must be pretty nice to know exactly where you're headed."

"I suppose."

"You have everything sitting right at your fingertips."

Sesshoumaru got ready to respond but didn't. It was a fact. Everything that he could want was right at his fingertips.

Rin's gaze met Sesshoumaru's. Who exactly was this man? They'd only really been in each other's company outside of work for five days yet her mind was starting to wander. Rin couldn't understand what kind of gravity it was that could pull her into a direction that went against her common sense. Sesshoumaru could only be about as faithful as a broken clock, and she knew better than to believe she'd be any different than the women he'd been with in the past. She didn't want to be just another girl he'd scored. Yet, he was returning this gaze as if they were speaking the same language without saying a word. Rin could tell they were getting too close yet all she was thinking was how his lips would feel against hers. She felt his thumb trace down the side of her cheek as he lifted her chin. He didn't care anymore that she was danger, all wrapped up in a pretty little package or that she was supposed to be off limits. Her eyes were starting to drift closed and all he wanted to do was...

"What are you doing?"

Inuyasha watched the two of them startle and retreat faster than he could get the words out.

"Were you kissing?" Inuyasha scrunched his nose.

"Staring...contest." Really? That was what he'd come up with?

Rin looked down at her watch trying to find a means of escape hearing Sesshoumaru's explanation. Admittedly, it might have been better than her own…shock and nothing.

Sesshoumaru was sure had Inuyasha not have interrupted, they would have both been sitting here awkwardly after a kiss that made no sense and might have been regrettable for the both of them.

"Well, it's 10:30. I'd better head home. You know, work in the morning and all."

Inuyasha tilted his head in response to one of the most fake yawns he'd ever seen from Rin.

"Sounds good." Sesshoumaru ran his fingers into his bangs and just let them sit there as he stared at the floor.

"No! The park." Inuyasha folded his arms over his chest.

"Rin, enjoy your weekend."

"Yeah, you too." She'd blurted quickly as she fumbled with the lock. Oh no, she couldn't get out! Rin calmed herself and flipped the top lock.

Standing outside the door, she merely rested her face in her hand. What were they thinking?

* * *

_A/N: Hehehe :-) So far, I think this chapter was the most fun for me to write. The reviews are highly appreciated!_

**Chapter 7:** _SOS_


	7. Chapter 7

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 7 - SOS**

Rin handed Sesshoumaru a cup of coffee without even asking if he needed it. Maybe they could act like nothing happened the other night and judging by his fatigue and a missing child, she knew that there had been a war today leaving Inuyasha at daycare which would be a better conversation than '...about the other night...'.

"Should I ask how Inuyasha took it this morning?"

Sesshoumaru simply shook his head. There was screaming, there was crying, and there were pleas right up to Inuyasha making the accusation that he'd leave him there and never come back. He was seriously thinking about it.

"I told him I'd be back at four."

"Can I see your phone?" Sesshoumaru eyed her suspiciously

"Don't worry. I'm not going through your contacts."

He handed her the phone and watched as she tapped the screen a few times.

"I set your alarm for few minutes before four."

"That may be unnecessary."

"Sesshoumaru, what time are you getting Inuyasha in bed?"

"What are my life lines if I don't know the answer to this question?"

"You can always phone a friend for help."

… …

Rin found herself looking up at the clock. According to Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's bed time was 8:00. She'd wanted to see exactly how this whole process went. They'd started out good and Inuyasha was on track to make it to the bed but she'd cringed at what happened for all of this to go down hill. In the midst of a phone conversation with his father, Sesshoumaru inadvertently allowed Inuyasha to start playing with his toys again with less than five minutes to go. She'd kept her lips sealed now for an hour only to watch Inuyasha run the house like he owned it and she'd seen enough.

"Inuyasha, come here."

Sesshoumaru joined them, thankful for a break in the action.

"Inuyasha, did your father set rules in his house?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"Can you tell me what some of them are?"

"No running. No screaming. No coloring on the walls."

There was a good chance there were more but that's all Inuyasha could remember at the moment.

"You've broken two of those rules here. Did you go to bed at the same time almost every night?"

"I think so."

"What are your brother's rules?"

Inuyasha looked back at Sesshoumaru for a moment then shrugged.

"What rules?"

Now where had she heard that before? "Inuyasha, your father and your brother both have the same rules. The same goes when you're with me too."

"Aww, no fun."

"We can have fun but there's a right time for everything and right now, it's bed time."

Sesshoumaru followed Rin as she took the child and put him in bed. They were going to be up for hours. Inuyasha was just going to get back up. He'd followed Rin's lead as they sat in the doorway, unsure as to why they had yet to leave the room.

"What are we doing?."

"He is going to get back up, but he's not leaving this room."

Sure enough, Inuyasha was back up and trying to get Rin to play with him. Sesshoumaru watched her pick the child up and put him back in bed. He counted this happening three more times and Rin didn't look the slightest bit phased but Inuyasha was now pouting.

"He's coming for you next. Just do the same thing I did."

It took longer this time, but sure enough, Rin was right and Inuyasha was at his brother's side hoping to stay out of the bed. Sesshoumaru looked at Rin but didn't say a word. After twenty minutes and the hope of getting to stay up dissolved, Inuyasha eventually stayed in bed and fell asleep.

"...?"

"I babysat all the time. But more importantly Sesshoumaru, I watched Inuyasha run this house for an hour because you, an attorney, didn't lay down the law of all things."

"So you set some rules and got him in bed. What's the expert to do when Inuyasha won't listen?"

"Where do people go when they break the law?"

"To jail of course but that's not rational for a toddler."

"I know. But the concept is the same. A punishment for wrong doing. You do the crime you do the time."

"I'm listening"

"Ok. Humor me."

"Alright."

Rin directed Sesshoumaru to the table as she grabbed the marker and sheet Inuyasha had been using previously.

"Start coloring."

"Huh?" How was coloring going to teach him anything? Sesshoumaru noticed Rin motion for him to start. He hoped that this was going somewhere.

"Sesshoumaru, you're not listening. This is the third time I've asked you to stop coloring. You have three minutes of timeout."

Sesshoumaru complied as she led him over to a corner. "Sit here and don't move." So this was the punishment to fit the crime but what good was three minutes of timeout? Inuyasha would be running around for all three minutes.

"Sesshoumaru, I'll be back in a minute. I just want to check on Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru rested his arm over his knee and looked at his watch. Ok, it hadn't been but thirty seconds, it was still too short to make a difference and no child was well behaved enough to stay put and certainly not Inuyasha. He looked again. One minute. Rin seemed like she was taking forever just to check on the child. Maybe three minutes was a long time when you weren't doing anything but staring at the wall, but it still left the question as to how he was going to keep Inuyasha in that corner. He picked the cell phone up off the table to cut off the incessant ringing.

"Inuyasha's…Sesshoumaru Takahashi, so help me, if you don't park yourself back in that corner…!"

"Rin, I got your point. I'm just getting the phone." Why was she taking this so seriously?

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were up on purpose. Who called?" She walked up and tip toed to look over his shoulder.

"This is underhanded." He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Now, are you sure you got the point?" She held her phone behind her back and bobbed it a few times before holding her hand out.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" He handed her the cell phone.

"A little, but I mean what I say. Corner. Now."

"I wouldn't put you in the corner."

Rin simply pointed, trying keep from laughing.

After three minutes, Rin took her seat in front of Sesshoumaru. Both of them smiling at each other over the trick phone call that had been so eloquently staged to prove her point.

"Time out fits the crime. I already know Inuyasha is not going to want to stay, but you have to do the same thing we did with the bed time and keep putting him back until he does. Start the time over. It doesn't count if he doesn't stay the whole time."

"Ok…"

The two of them stood. "So, what you're telling me is that I've been going about this all wrong?"

"I wouldn't say _all_ wrong. Oh, I almost forgot…make sure that Inuyasha apologizes and gives you a hug."

She rolled her eyes hearing Sesshoumaru huff at the suggestion.

"Alright, at least make sure he apologizes."

Rin felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her into a hug from behind. A tingling sensation ran through her body from the top of her head, out to her fingertips and down to her toes. She could feel the warmth and strength of his body against hers. She hadn't felt this way in so long that she didn't want him to let go.

"I'm sorry."

Her lips pulled into the kind of smile that's meant to suppress excitement.

"For what?"

"Being bad." He kissed her on the cheek not wanting to push his luck.

"I think you owe me more than that."

Rin surprised him, as she turned in his arms and placed her lips against his. He pulled her in closer as he returned it and they simply became lost in each other, never wanting it to end.

* * *

_A/N: I just couldn't resist! All credit goes to The Super Nanny for giving me tips for Rin's parenting skills ;-)_

**Chapter 8: **The Request


	8. Chapter 8

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 8 - The Request**

"Where exactly were we before we started this?"

"We? I specifically recall you throwing the popcorn at me."

Rin laid her head back on his chest as he picked a piece of popcorn out of her hair. The floor around them the result of mock trial preparation gone awry. She laughed to herself thinking about how this happened. It was one of those nights where Sesshoumaru was nitpicking every single one of her answers to his questions and he just kept interrupting every time she'd try to explain why she was going in a certain direction with the answer. Eventually she became frustrated with the quantity of these miniscule critiques and started throwing popcorn at him every time he did so. She didn't know why she was surprised that he started throwing it back. What eventually became of it was them trying to stay quiet enough to keep from waking Inuyasha while having a popcorn fight.

Sesshoumaru ran is fingers through her hair. Rin was a tougher popcorn fighter than she led on and he still couldn't figure out how they ended up on the floor. But it was the most fun he'd had in a long time.

"So, what do you think that Hiro's plan is going to be?"

"Right now, I'm not sure. But I guarantee that he's steady watching and waiting for anything that's going to help make his case. It wouldn't surprise me if he pulled something serious closer to the trial."

"Yeah. The only thing that he has on us right now is that you've been late a couple of times. But that's not so bad. He can't win a case off of that."

"Trust me, he'll try. Any office talk going around?"

"Not that I know of. Have you been able to talk to some of your coworkers yet?"

"A few. Just small talk."

"Either way, you're making the effort to get around to them. Any ideas of who I should use as witnesses?"

"It's a little too early to tell just yet."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Probably?"

"Alright fine, yes you're right."

"That's the first time I've heard that all night."

"Don't you think I should be the one saying that?"

The last few weeks were similar to tonight. Rin would stay late studying and would barely make it home to get a few hours of sleep before the sun was rising and she'd have to be up at it again. She always made the concession to come to his home. It was ten times better than where she stayed and it wasn't really like she wanted him to see where she lived anyway. But as always, she returned to those walls that seemed to be crumbling down around her. Here, she was happy and it certainly seemed like he enjoyed her being here as much as she did. She looked up at the ceiling before she closed her eyes knowing that she had to leave. Despite how happy she was, she couldn't get attached to Sesshoumaru like this. It was absolutely against her better judgment to do so, yet she'd opened the door when she kissed him.

Sesshoumaru noticed her sit up. She was about to leave again. He wished she would just stay. The truth was, the more time that he and Rin spent together, the more he missed her when she was gone, especially over the weekend. When he walked into the office on Mondays and saw her sitting at her desk it was like seeing his best friend for the first time in years all over again. Even before this mock trial when she'd take sick days or vacation he always felt off without her. Of course, she never knew that and neither did the office and that's the way he planned to keep it. Even so, he'd never expected her presence to affect him this way.

She brushed another piece of popcorn from her lap and turned to him to deliver the usual line that she always did when she was about to leave, but was stopped by his kiss.

"Stay."

The kiss was now turning into smaller, sweeter ones.

"The sun's...going to beat me home."

"Then let it."

As hard as it was for Rin to resist him, she had to. She couldn't think straight like this.

"Sesshoumaru we...I can't."

Watching her comb her hand through the side of her hair nervously, he realized he'd sent her the wrong the message. He never had to ask women to stay, he only told them to leave. He probably should have thought twice about how to ask Rin to stay in a way that didn't make her think they were going to end up in the same bed.

"It wasn't meant that way."

"What did you mean?"

"I didn't want you to be tired driving home. You can have the bed. I'll take the couch."

"Even if I wanted to, I don't have anything to wear."

"Don't move."

Those golden eyes locked onto hers before she watched him disappear into his room. It wasn't really like she wanted to move anyway but she'd always avoided the eye contact when she was trying to leave for this very reason. Those eyes of his were deadly and he could probably stare an unsuspecting victim right off a cliff. But his eyes were also his weakness, his giveaway and everytime they fell on her they softened.

She smiled and shook her head as she took the shirt he handed to her.

"There's no catch?"

"None. Well, maybe one but I can't tell you why."

"Alright, I'll stay, just for tonight and I'm taking the couch."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright, suit yourself."

…

Leaning on the couch, he watched her sleep for a moment. The morning sun was delicately playing off her features and there was a pull at her lips that made her look like she was smiling in her sleep. He'd seen her sleeping in the office that day but he liked seeing her in a relaxed sleep here, in his home. There wasn't a piece to this beautiful puzzle that he wanted to miss.

Rin had yet to open her eyes but she could smell something delicious floating through the air. She heard the padding of little feet coming toward her before they stopped abruptly.

"Inuyasha you're going to wake her. Come back over here."

Whatever Sesshoumaru was doing, he didn't want her awake yet and she didn't want to ruin it. She simply kept her eyes shut and pretended to sleep.

"Big brother what are those?"

"Eggs."

"That's not how daddy does it."

"There are different ways to cook eggs Inuyasha."

"They look bad." Rin covered her mouth as she imagined Inuyasha scrunching his nose like he always did to anything that he found distasteful. Inuyasha was so candid that she wished she were really asleep now.

"They're scrambled. Father makes them sunny side."

"Oh."

"You want to help me?"

"Yes."

"Stay quiet and take this to the coffee table." Sesshoumaru handed Inuyasha a plate and just shook his head as the child started tip toeing over to the coffee table.

"Now can I wake her?" Rin heard the child try to whisper as she worked hard to keep from smiling at this duo.

"Alright fine."

"Ms. Rin, Ms. Rin wake up!"

Rin tried to make a better effort at acting as if she were waking up than she'd done with the yawn a couple weeks ago.

"We made breakfast!"

Even so, it wasn't hard to act once she opened her eyes. Everything looked absolutely wonderful from the scrambled eggs and bacon, to the toast and fruit. She'd never had anyone cook for her like this before. For a moment, she was speechless.

"…Wow! Thank-you!"

"If you don't like the eggs, Inuyasha made them."

"Nuh uh!" Inuyasha shook his head as he picked up a piece of toast off his plate, signaling that they should all start eating.

"Everything is delicious. I didn't know you could cook?"

"You never asked."

"So this was your catch?"

"Possibly."

As they enjoyed the breakfast, Sesshoumaru couldn't get over how he was starting to feel or the image he was starting to see. Surprisingly, even with how annoying Inuyasha could be sometimes, his little brother seemed to be filling a space in this picture more than he was willing to admit.

* * *

_A/N: Obviously, I was eating popcorn while writing this :)_

**_Chapter 9:_ **Plastic Jungle


	9. Chapter 9

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 9 - Plastic Jungle**

"Stay where I can see you."

Sesshoumaru took Inuyasha's head nod as confirmation that the little boy heard before scampering up the stairs to the castle. Inuyasha had been asking him to come to this particular playground since he came to stay with him. He couldn't understand why it made a difference but he'd placed the call to his father to figure out what the child was going on about. Rin agreed to come along and they made the trip.

Even to an adult, this playground was enormous. Asking Inuyasha to stay within sight was asking too much. It was a Dr. Seuss book brought to life. Colorful, abstract, and whimsical. The playground was split into what looked like two worlds. A jungle retreat and a kingdom connected by a long swinging bridge of which only the bravest children might have crossed. Inuyasha certainly wouldn't disappoint. The child was fearless.

Rin and Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall of the castle as Sesshoumaru checked his phone. Rin watched some of the parents who were sitting on the benches while others were having fun with their kids as they played pretend. They were supposed to be taking the day off with Inuyasha but Sesshoumaru used every opportunity to stay ahead of work. Rin noted that Sesshoumaru had about five seconds before all work and no play was going to come to an end.

"Big brother!"

Sesshoumaru was broken from his concentration on the phone as Inuyasha ran up to him.

"What is it?"

"Come play."

"I've got a few calls to make. Go back and have fun with the other kids."

"I don't know them. Please? Daddy always plays!"

"Sesshoumaru, this would be the right time to play with him you know." Rin nudged

Sesshoumaru inwardly cringed as he pictured himself climbing across that bridge and it just didn't seem remotely possible, and even much less so for his father. But then again it wasn't beyond the old man to think that he still 'had it' and let Inuyasha prove him wrong.

"How?"

"He was the monster!" Inuyasha growled as he tried to form his tiny hands into claws.

Rin covered her smile.

That explained it. He just couldn't bring himself to do it and it and especially not with Rin watching.

"Inuyasha..."

The child frowned before Sesshoumaru could finish the decline and crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm telling."

"Who?"

"Ms. Rin, he won't play."

Rin almost laughed at the realization that Inuyasha thought she had more authority than Sesshoumaru. But it was now dawning on her that Sesshoumaru wasn't really working. He was completely out of his element and was simply trying to endure the situation. She had to think of something.

"It's ok Inuyasha, I'll play. We can leave Sesshoumaru here with his phone."

"Have fun you two."

Rin bent down to Inuyasha's ear and whispered something to him. He nodded as a wide smile grew across his face and he crawled into one of the tubes.

"Hey" She bumped his shoulder as he pushed back

"Back so soon?"

"Eh..."

He noticed her sigh.

"Something wrong?"

"He didn't want to play with me."

She watched what he was doing for moment before she touched the screen of his phone and slid the card with the black five under the red six. "Oh yeah, this is tons of fun."

"Solitaire is not meant to be tons of fun."

"And yet there's a child out there playing solitaire. Where is he anyway?"

Sesshoumaru scanned the playground. The child was in fact, nowhere in sight.

"You know where he is don't you?"

"Not really."

"...?"

He watched her place her hands behind her back and rock back on her heels before she used the momentum to lean close to his face.

"We've got to find him."

"Oh no."

"I think I last saw him running toward those tubes. But, he won't respond unless he hears the sound of two monsters coming to get him. Why don't you give it a try?"

"Rin..."

She kissed him on the cheek as he looked skyward and sighed.

"Grr"

Rin's brow pulled together in reaction to Sesshoumaru's half-hearted impression of a monster.

"Well you might want to put something into it, you know to scare the rabbits."

"Like?"

"GRRRRRR!"

He smirked, finding her ability to be completely carefree attractive. "Do that one more time, I don't think I got it."

She began to growl again but was drowned out by his which sounded more like a roar. Rin laughed. Now they were ready!

"Let's claim our victim!" He started to walk behind her before pulled him to run with her. Rin was too much fun for her own good.

Inuyasha peeked out of one of the tubes and screamed before leading the two of them on a wild goose chase around the playground. Inuyasha was giving them the work out of their lives climbing over bridges, through tubes, up and down stairs, going down slides, and weaving through swings. They'd both underestimated the child's speed. In the apartment, there were walls that fooled them into thinking that the child could be caught easily. They were more wrong than they ever imagined.

The two of them leaned off the base of a plastic tree, tired and trying to catch their breath. They stopped growling some time ago. Everything they were using now was reserves.

"Ok..Inuyasha we found you. Come down."

"No! Come get me!"

"Why don't we work together? You go up the tree and I'll head him off up the slide."

Sesshoumaru looked up the tree. Rin had to be kidding.

"You can do it."

"You owe me."

Sesshoumaru mentally humbled himself for about the tenth time today to climb into a plastic tree. The ascent to the child was an endurance filled riddle. The designers did not think of the parents who would have to come up here and wrangle their children from this conglomeration of nets, tubing and plastic leaves that threatened to put out eyes and leave one with bruises and back injuries. Twenty-six in most people's minds was not old but all it took was a playground built to the scale of children's bodies younger than the age of ten to make one feel like they were about one hundred. No matter how much one worked out, it did not equate to having to move like you were dodging bullets in slow motion. Reaching the top, he pulled himself into the tree house and flattened.

"You not a monster."

"gr"

"Kill the monster!" Inuyasha pounced.

"..."

"You all are such a perfectly adorable little family." A woman spoke to Rin as she walked to the slide.

"Oh, uh we're not…"

"I could never get my husband to do that." The woman smiled and began to walk away as what Rin could only assume were her three children, ran ahead.

Rin just decided to let it go. The woman was only making a comment in passing and there was no reason to run after her and try and explain the situation. It wasn't really like she herself understood it either. Rin rolled her eyes to herself before she ran up the slide. She had to keep her half of the deal and make sure her mock husband was still alive.

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes as Rin growled and tickled Inuyasha.

"Ok, Inuyasha you've killed the monsters. It's getting late so we're going to go down the slide and head for home."

"Aw Dam nit all to heck."

Sesshoumaru tensed as he and Rin both looked at Inuyasha in shock.

"Where did you hear that?"

Inuyasha quickly pointed at Sesshoumaru. He distinctly remembered using a clearer version while climbing the tree but he didn't think Inuyasha heard it. That was going to be a fun sentence to explain to their father.

Rin closed her eyes. Yes, they were a perfectly adorable little family.

* * *

A/N: _My thanks as always to everyone for reading and reviewing :-)_

**Chapter 10: **_Case of the Ex_


	10. Chapter 10

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 10 - Case of the Ex**

Rin heard the shower going as she stretched momentarily before curling back into a ball and bringing the sheets with her. As the sun filtered into the room, she pulled the sheets overhead and hugged the other pillow. She buried her nose into it, deeply enjoying the fresh spring like scent before she opened her eyes. Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow her to sleep on the couch again. She'd fought so hard too…well, not really. She was fighting harder to stay awake. The moment she hit the bed she was out. He was right. It did feel like a pillow. She had no idea how he'd willed himself to switch with her to give up the bed for the couch.

Getting up, Rin took the time to explore the spacious bedroom. It made two out of hers easily. There was nothing extravagant, simply clean and organized. He kept a bookcase in there, although smaller than the one in the front room. Many of the books were about law, a few others on general and random interests. Nothing out of the ordinary as she would have expected.

As she scanned back up to the top shelf she noticed a book that she hadn't before. It would've almost been hidden if you didn't have a good enough eye. The brown spine was blank as was the front cover. Opening the book, she found the beginnings of a journal. Immediately she panicked and closed it. She was curious but not that curious and she wouldn't have wanted him reading hers. She tried to place it back in its slot but was hindered from doing so. The space was tight but surely it should have fit back easily. Looking into the space she pulled out a picture and put the journal back. She looked at it momentarily before she turned it over and froze. Rin scolded herself for being nosy and quickly placed the picture back between the books.

Rin's heart threatened to escape her chest as she felt Sesshoumaru's presence behind her. She spun quickly, only for her heart to take another dangerous thump. His hair was still damp from the shower and he held his shirt in his hand. She forced her eyes to his face and tried to keep them there although they kept drifting to catch the line of every well defined muscle in his body from his shoulders and chest right down to his abs and back up again.

"…!"

"Good morning to you too."

"I was just looking at...the bookshelf. You have so many books"

"See anything you like?" He raised an eyebrow catching onto her roaming eyes.

"Oh, you know…nothing I haven't seen before. I'm going to freshen up."

"It's all yours."

"Oh good."

The whole shower she could see the picture. The setting was a park during the beginning of fall. The woman was leaning against Sesshoumaru as they sat in the grass. The questions kept replaying. Who was she? Was she still around? Why didn't he ever talk about her? What did he do? Did it end badly?

Rin told herself to stop. This was ridiculous. Oh sure, they'd flirted, shared a few innocent kisses here and there but she and Sesshoumaru were just friends, right? Before they started preparing for the trial, she never cared which women he was entertaining and this one was no different. The woman in the picture looked just as random and pregnant as none of the rest of them. And _Save the Date _meant absolutely something that didn't happen.

Sesshoumaru noticed Rin walk into the front room. She wasn't bubbly like she usually was and he started to question if he'd done or said something wrong.

"Rin, is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking."

Rin seated herself on a bar stool. She stirred the cream into her coffee and tried to concentrate on that to keep the questions from spilling out.

"About?"

"Can can I ask you something?"

"Ok."

"Have you ever been in love before?"

Sesshoumaru swallowed as he placed the cup back down and added sugar. He was trying to figure out first where the question came from and second, how to answer it.

"I…that depends on what you mean by love. Why do you ask?" Immediately he knew he was going to have to fix it. It was the kind of answer that would only prompt more questioning and he should have known better.

"When I was looking through your books this morning, I found a photo of your engagement. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have looked but you seemed so happy with her."

Rin rolled the cup back and forth between her hands hoping that he wouldn't be angry.

He nodded. It was going to come sooner or later and he might as well get it over with. "It was complicated."

"So you loved her?"

"You could say that. I'm actually mildly surprised that no one in the office told you."

"The office? What did they have to do with it?

"She was working at the firm when I started my internship."

Rin quit stirring and sat up straighter.

"In any case it was a mistake for us to start dating. When we fought, we might as well have brought the office down with us. I'm positive that if we were working anywhere else, we would have both been fired on the spot. Miraculously, when she told me she was pregnant we started planning a future together and the storms settled. We kept the engagement a secret to keep it out of the office. Not even my father knew."

"So, you have a child?"

"No. I had doubts about the child but I didn't want to accuse her without being sure. Her conscience finally caught up with her. She admitted that the child wasn't mine and left the same night…with the ring. I saw her one last time, two days later when she came to get her things from the office but we didn't speak."

All that Rin could do was apologize while she tried to understand how this happened to Sesshoumaru. She felt horrible. Of all the questions that ran through her mind she never asked _what did she do_? Never in her wildest imagination would she have guessed that he'd been the one on the receiving end of it all.

"I'm sorry."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, "It's life."

He sat there as if he didn't even care. In the past two years, not one soul in the office spoke a word to her about this relationship and she could only think of one reason.

"What did your ex do at the firm?"

"..."

Rin nodded in understanding, "I took her place."

"Trust me, the two of you are not comparable. You couldn't match that kind of attitude on your worst day."

His indifference here was concerning. This conversation was becoming more disappointing by the minute and Rin immediately decided that it was in need of a quick turn around.

"You mean I'm not a total monster when I'm sleepy?"

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow. That question came out of the blue. The young woman was all of a sudden bubbly again. He didn't know what he expected her to do or say but definitely not regain this kind of mood.

"No."

"What about when I wake up?

"Not even close. Although you do kind of snore while you're sleeping and that is frightening."

"No I don't."

She noticed him look off.

"Do I really?"

"It's ok, I can't hear it when the door is closed."

"Oh no." She buried her face in her hands before he pried them loose to see her blush.

"But, I have to say that there was only one thing more enjoyable than realizing that you can snore."

"What's that?"

"Your reaction this morning."

"Oh, ha ha."

"I can't wait to see that one again."

"Funny you should say that. I get the same reaction from you with my clothes on, thank you."

"That…"

Rin complied as he pulled her to sit with him.

"…is because I know how beautiful you are already."

So, maybe they were a little more than friends. "I'll accept the compliment. But, there's one thing that still perplexes me."

"And that is?"

"Tattoos?"

She could feel the laughter that was barely audible.

"Let's leave some things to the imagination."

"What?"

""Nothing Inuyasha."" Both of them spoke in unison as he entered the room and they started to laugh.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the continued inspiration everyone! ;-)

**Chapter 11**: Taking Notice


	11. Chapter 11

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

_A/N: SMH! Please do not associate Hiro with any other anime character! No crossover here :P BTW __Tattoo clarification: Rin saw Sesshoumaru shirtless in the last chapter and I was playing on the demonic markings in case that didn't come across. His face and wrists aren't the only place he has them in this fiction lol ;) _

**Chapter 11 - Taking Notice**

Sesshoumaru and Rin broke away from each other before walking into the office. The moment they walked in the door, they tried to keep it strictly business although it may have very well been in vain. It was so hard for them not to flirt with each other but they'd tried to hide the few times they'd given in under the noses of their co-workers, but they knew everyone was on to them.

"Do you see the two of them, flirting throughout the day like a bunch of kids?" Misha questioned Lena as she leaned against her desk and spoke to her from behind a folder.

"I've never seen Sesshoumaru that happy and they look like they really like each other."

"Hmph, I don't think it's going to last. You know how Sesshoumaru is. He's just going to toss her aside like the rest of them and we'll be out of another assistant. Mark my words, he's going to hurt that girl."

"I don't know about that. Sesshoumaru's not held onto one this long well, since _you know who _and that's saying a lot."

"Don't remind me. We had enough of that to last us a lifetime. By the way, did Sesshoumaru come around and talk with you?"

"He did, yesterday at lunch. He threw me off so bad that I think I started trying to eat my fork."

"Oh, Lena…"

"I'm serious. I was so nervous. I thought he was just going to let me know that after the mock trial was over, I could turn in my resignation. Instead, we just…talked like normal people."

"Well, your reaction was better than mine at least."

"You know, since Taisho left, things really haven't changed like we were all dreading that they would and everything is in order. He's actually trying to talk to us instead of acting like we don't exist everyday. He's not his father, but maybe he can manage things better than we were thinking. To be honest, I think he's doing a good job."

"I suppose so. Maybe, he's not so bad once you get to know him."

Hiro didn't need to listen to the two women long. It had been some time now that this had gone on. It was like Rin made all the difference for Sesshoumaru. She was his balance. Her bright, airy nature was having effects on the whole office and causing everyone to view Sesshoumaru in a new light. The young attorney was making the effort to make rounds with all of his co-workers, the office was in order, nearly the way that Taisho left it and Sesshoumaru didn't seem to be having any difficulty managing the responsibilities of it all. With all the positive talk of Sesshoumaru's leadership, how was he going to prove that the young DA was not all that he was cracked up to be?

The truth was, the moment Sesshoumaru stepped into the office a few years ago, he'd gotten everyone's attention. But, no one really remembered that there was a side to Sesshoumaru that existed for the first few weeks that he'd been interning. They only remembered the disaster that soon came about and the way that Sesshoumaru and his girlfriend dealt with it for nearly two years. They brought nothing but arguments, anger, and distraction to the office. Everyone lost count of the amount of the times that Taisho tried to calm the storm when all they knew how to do was fight. He'd send the two of them out of his office seemingly resolved, yet they couldn't even look at each other the rest of the day.

Hiro narrowed his eyes as he watched Rin smile and enter Sesshoumaru's office. He now knew exactly what needed to be done to remind the office why Sesshoumaru wasn't fit to be their boss.

…

The woman ran her fingers through her hair. She sat at the bar before she started to count the tips.

"I liked your work. Good night for you?"

She smirked and shook her head as she recognized the voice first and then the dark hair and blue eyes of this devil.

The last time she'd seen him, she'd been gathering her things to leave the office. If there was anyone that she didn't wish to see, it was Hiro. No one knew how much of a snake in the grass he was but her.

"Why are you here?"

"I can't see an old friend?"

"Please. We're not friends."

"Well, let's not forget who got you the job at the firm. Who brought you out of this mess in the first place."

"How did you find me?"

"Hisoto told me quite a bit about their newest assistant. Though, it would seem that he's not paying you enough seeing as you have a second job."

"Hmph"

"Sesshoumaru's doing well for himself. He's going to be the boss in a couple months and I just thought you might want to know."

"Thanks."

"You could have him back you know."

She got up to leave. "I'm not sticking around to hear this. I was the one that left him. Why would I want him back?"

"You can't possibly tell me that working two jobs is what you want to do for the rest of your life. With Sesshoumaru, you could have had it all."

"Look, I've got other things to worry about. I don't need to waste my time talking to you."

"I understand. That's why I want to make you an offer."

"An offer?"

"Find a way to get back in with Sesshoumaru for a few days and you won't have to worry about _this_ job anymore at least"

"Why do you care about Sesshoumaru and me getting back together so much?"

"His father's pitted us against each other in a mock trial. I need to throw him off for a little while, shut him up around the office. You know how arrogant he can be."

"Not as arrogant as some."

"Come on."

"You're asking me to hurt him…again?"

"I thought you got a rush from this kind of thing. But if you don't need the money, I guess we're finished here."

"…I need the money…now. If I'm going to do this, I want thirty-five hundred up front and the other half as soon as the job is done."

"Your going rate? Very well."

"Just so you know, I have my own reasons for doing this."

"A mother's love will make her do crazy things won't it?" He handed her the check.

"..."

"Oh and Kagura, be sure to make a scene like you always did, in the office. I would hate for his girlfriend not to see how in love he still is with you."

"Girlfriend?"

"Oh, did I fail to mention her?" He slid a picture to her. "Perfect little doll isn't she?"

"Just make sure you have the money."

"Now there's the spirit."

Kagura sneered and thought better about the come back she was about to use but instead walked out the door. Hiro would never deserve to know.

* * *

A/N: I know there's hardly any Sessh/Rin going on in this chapter but I felt the need to fill you in on the office's perspective and Hiro's plans. Plot thickens! Let me know what you're thinking. Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

**Chapter 12: **Hidden Shadows


	12. Chapter 12

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 12: Hidden Shadows**

The rain played against the window as Sesshoumaru sat at his desk. The only two things that were consistent today were the clouds and the phone calls that seemed never ending. The whole office seemed to be lighting up. Rin hadn't been gone ten minutes good and it was like everyone in and out of their right mind started calling. He couldn't imagine that this was what she put up with everyday and he now realized why Rin volunteered to get Inuyasha. They didn't pay her enough for this kind insanity. He growled as the phone rang again.

"Hello."

"Sesshoumaru Takahashi I presume? This is Hisoto Shibuya of Hisoto and Associates. How are you?"

"What is the purpose of your call Mr. Shibuya?"

"Please call me Hisoto. I can tell you're a man that doesn't like to waste time so I'll get straight to the point. My partners and I have been keeping close tabs on your record Sesshoumaru. You're quite the prodigy among D.A.'s. I've never seen such a record of success for someone so young in this business. Word is spreading like wildfire that your father will be retiring at the end of this year and even with your talents, running a firm is no walk in the park."

"Exactly what are you suggesting Hisoto?"

"I'm suggesting a merger. Before you say no, I want to bring to light a few points. The merger would be strictly to your benefit. A merger would mean nothing but greater profits for your firm. What I'm asking in return is a guarantee of stability."

"I'm listening."

"I must admit, word spreads quickly when you have less than trustworthy partners and the grapevine has informed me that your father is highly concerned about the loss of several people in the firm despite the conditions that he's currently set forth. What I'm suggesting, is that when the firm is left in your hands to already have in place their replacements. Replacements with experience and reliable and promising track records for a successful firm that can prosper."

"Underhanded possibly but not beneath some. The guarantee that you're suggesting is the guarantee that all of your employees will stay in place while the employees here will find work elsewhere am I right?"

"Don't think of it that way. If your employees choose to stay then it's their decision. But of course, we can't overlook the fact that there are the select individuals that are very stubborn about who they work for. Their loss unfortunately. However, that would of course allow our best and most loyal to stay in place."

"And you?"

"Well, I wouldn't take less than a partner."

"Hmph, the pitch of your idea is intriguing but hardly that in specifics. What you're asking of me is to allow a rival firm to come in and work camouflaged under the name of a firm that has far surpassed yours. I would hardly take such a deal."

"Trust me, such a deal will be a gold mine when you weigh all your options. Keep it in mind is all I'm asking. I'll send along some information, it may look better on paper and if not then all that I can do is wish you the best of luck."

"It won't be necessary."

Sesshoumaru's cell phone buzzed almost as soon as he hung up. He sat back recognizing who the number belonged to and stared at the phone as it rang. The decision to pick up ate at him before finally silencing it as Rin walked in with Inuyasha.

… …

_I understand why you're ignoring me but I really need to talk to you. Text me back._

Sesshoumaru shook his head as he thought about the phone call from earlier that day and now the text that came not long after. The only thing that was running through his mind was why now? After two years of complete and total silence, the woman wanted to talk when her existence had all but faded from his memory.

"Sesshoumaru..."

"… What?"

"Something wrong?"

"Just...remind me to change my number."

"Ok." Rin laughed slightly confused as she turned her attention back to the movie they were watching before the two of them were startled by a scream coming from Inuyasha's room.

Rin got down to look underneath the bed and was met with Inuyasha staring back at her. As she tried to coax him out he continued to shake his head and back further underneath.

"It's just me Inuyasha. What's the matter?"

"Hide."

"Why would I need to hide sweetie?"

"…"

Sesshoumaru grabbed the stuffed dragon off the nightstand. He knew the scream that startled them and the silence that followed after well enough.

"He thinks something horrible is coming to get us."

He joined Rin to see Inuyasha

"I want daddy."

"Father's not here so you're going to have to settle for me Inuyasha."

"No. Hide!"

Rin witnessed her future boss try to persuade Inuyasha to come out from underneath the bed with the stuffed animal. But Inuyasha was insistent on staying where he was if only to test the patience of his older brother.

Sesshoumaru found himself down to bargains and compromises and Rin was sure that if Inuyasha asked for the world he might have gotten it if it meant that he would come from underneath the bed. The deal of a cat instead of the dragon, the reassurance that they were properly hidden, and a promise that Inuyasha would be protected against all monsters, ghosts, witches, bad dreams and the like finally was enough to draw the child out.

As Inuyasha grabbed the cat, Sesshoumaru fought not to react to the touch of cold, wet, fingers on his arm that Inuyasha had in his mouth only a second ago. It simply wasn't possible not to cringe at all.

"...hugh!"

Rin smiled and shook her head. She wished this was the person that more of the office got a chance to see. There was more to Sesshoumaru than his past, than the lawyer, the player. He had a heart just like the rest of them and it may not seem like it at times but he did care, he had feelings, and was just as capable of being hurt. He simply had a knack for masking it better than everyone else.

Sesshoumaru looked up at her as she sat back against the bed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Hmph. You're smiling too much for it not to be something."

"You know, you should let your guard down more often. It's kind of interesting to see your reactions."

He felt slightly embarrassed that she'd caught the reaction. "...?!"

"Like that one. Slobbery fingers aren't your thing are they?" She laughed.

"No. But then again they don't have to be. I've never planned on having kids around."

"Yeah right. I bet in less than ten years you'll be saying…"

"I'm glad that I didn't have kids."

"Nope. More like, I love my kids, slobbery fingers and all."

"Right."

"You'll see. I won't be surprised one bit when you do."

"So, ten years from now, what will you be saying?"

Sesshoumaru watched her smile fade slightly.

"I…don't know. Glad to still have a job I guess." She rolled her eyes as she thought about it.

"That's it?"

She shrugged as Inuyasha yawned and closed his eyes against his brother.

"So you can envision a future with innocently bothersome children for me, but nothing for yourself? Explain."

She really hadn't thought the next ten years through. There were too many other things getting in the way in the present.

"It's hard to envision things for yourself when you're kind of stuck running down the same road. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful for the job that I have but I just wish things could've worked out a little differently that's all. I can easily envision things for you because you're not in my shoes. Everything in my way, you've already overcome. There's nothing stopping you."

Sesshoumaru listened to her explanation. At least she could envision herself running down the same road. But what she couldn't envision was running down different ones hoping that they would take you somewhere long enough just to forget where you had been.

"Believe me, you'd be surprised. There's more in the way than you think."

* * *

A/N: I apologize if this got a little confusing or seemed a bit disjointed. There may be too much going on in this chapter for its own good :P Hopefully it will all be clear later!

**Chapter 13**: Trouble


	13. Chapter 13

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 13 - Trouble**

"Sesshoumaru, you know who called back. Which excuse should I…" Rin stopped, confused as she watched Sesshoumaru get ready to leave the office.

"Um…headed to the jail to speak with a client?"

"No, heading out for lunch." His conscience never seemed to be screaming more obscenities at him than it was now. Technically he wasn't lying to her but...

"So you've finally realized it's not healthy to work twelve hours without eating. Mind if I come along? I'm a little famished myself."

"Sorry. It's business." He and Rin were…they hadn't established anything between each other. They were just spending time together to prepare for the trial and happened to really like each other. Denial simply was his only justification. Deaf ears had not fallen on his heart which is precisely why there was guilt although all he and Kagura were going to do was talk. He would have closure and there would be nothing left between them. There was no reason to get Rin involved.

"I should have known. Ms. Sukido is going to be so disappointed that her favorite DA is still in a meeting that has now lasted four hours. I suppose I'll just tell her you went home sick."

"Thanks."

Rin knew Sesshoumaru was distracted and for the past week, they'd hardly gotten anything done to prepare for the trial. The most she'd gotten out of him was that something was on his mind but he wouldn't say what. Still, he'd told her not to worry. That was easier said than done and if anything, it only made her worry more.

… …

Sesshoumaru walked the three blocks over to the sandwich shop. The trip wouldn't have taken more than a few minutes walking at a leisurely pace but he kept wanting to turn around and go back. The woman had been bad news from the start so why was he even willing to entertain her with his presence? Hadn't she put him through enough? They were polar ends that should have never connected and yet they defied the odds for two years. They rewrote the book of the bad romance with a broken pen and in the end she burned it with ice. All the warmth and passion of the relationship was a facade' masked by a cold that was so deep it would have eaten its way straight through flesh.

The smell of the grill filled his nose. A woman at the counter looked clearly overworked by the rush of the lunch crowd and yet she did her best to smile and make polite conversation with her regulars as she filled the orders. The woman, for an instant, reminded him of Rin. She was bright, cheerful, and deflected negativity with a smile…unlike the woman he now faced. He swept her hard features with scrutiny, wishing now that he had not come. Sure, she was dressed simply enough, but the ruby eyes, the dark wavy hair that fell past her shoulders down her back, and the crimson lipstick were all warnings to this woman's personality. Bold, abrasive, and insensitive.

"Yo."

"Kagura."

They took their seat at one of the booths, distancing themselves from the crowd as she started the conversation.

"So, how are things with the firm?"

"Very well."

"That's it, just very well?"

"Is there something wrong with very well?"

"No, it's just I remember that as long we were together, you never used 'very well' to describe your work. It was always flawless, excellent. Things change I guess."

"You're right, they do. So why did you really want to see me. Money? Legal trouble? What?"

"No it's not like that. I wanted to apologize. I know that the way that I left was wrong and I'm sorry."

"I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Can I get you two something?" The waitress interrupted the conversation. Kagura nodded, ordering a water as Sesshoumaru did the same. The two met each other's eyes as the waitress nodded and left.

"Every time that I lied to you, I felt horrible, I just didn't know how to make it right so everything came spilling out at once. When I was pregnant, I hoped he was yours, I wanted him to be yours, but I messed up."

"I'm not here to dwell on the past with you but you knew what you were doing. You didn't seem to have any regrets then. I'm going to ask you one last time what you want from me. Something brought you back."

Sesshoumaru watched her struggle, the tears that streamed down her face were unexpected, uncharacteristic. He could have counted on one finger how many times he saw Kagura cry.

"…?"

"…Kaze."

"What happened?"

"I couldn't take care of him anymore so I had to give him up." Hiro was going to owe her big time for this lie.

"What? Where are you working?"

Wiping away the tears she shook her head.

"You know me, I was no stranger to the bars before I started working at your father's firm."

"Hmph."

"Money is money Sesshoumaru but it's hardly enough. I have to alternate staying with a couple of the girls I work with when I can help out with rent. Look, I know that this is going to sound crazy but I owe the girls and I'm running low this week, I just need a place to stay for a few days to make the money..."

"Kagura…"

"Three days tops and I'll be gone. I promise, you won't even know I was there."

"No."

"Sesshoumaru please, you're the only one I have left."

"Tch, I doubt that."

"Sesshoumaru..."

"You're out of your mind. My little brother is staying with me. There's no way…"

"I'll sleep on the couch. I'll pay you back in full…money, whatever you want. I promise."

"I can't."

"Please?"

"…"

"Please? Even just two days. Just this one time."

The woman before him looked pitiful, as if she were begging for the last scrap of bread from the floor. What was he supposed to do? Turn her down knowing that she would be out on the streets with nowhere to go. Even so, two years ago this woman had simply picked up and walked out of his life as if he didn't even matter yet here he was, struggling to set this woman free. Why couldn't he just let her go like the rest of them?

"One day. You're out whether you have the money or not."

"Thank you!"

Sesshoumaru looked down at his phone as a message popped up from Rin. He knew the only subject that he would be studying tonight was how to listen to his conscience and keep himself out of trouble.

…

Kagura left and walked a few blocks before making sure that she and Sesshoumaru were out of sight of each other before making a call.

_So he's not letting you stay any longer?_

"I've only got one night. I don't even know if this is worth it anymore. I had to lie to him about my child Hiro."

_We have a deal or have you forgotten?_

"Hiro, you can have the money back. I can't do this."

_Oh, you can do this because if you can't Hisoto will be out of an assistant._

"How dare you!"

_Temper Kagura. You know him well enough and there's time yet. Make it count. You'll keep your job and Sesshoumaru won't have a chance against me._

_..._

Rin clutched the folder to her chest and backed out of Hiro's office, rounding the corner just enough to hear the rest of the conversation before Hiro had a chance to turn around and see her. _You know him well enough...? _There weren't many people who could boast that they knew Sesshoumaru well, especially not on a personal level. Sesshoumaru never mentioned his ex's name to her but if her guess was right, she now knew what was on his mind. Kagura. And what was worse, Kagura was working with Hiro just to try and ruin him. What was that going to accomplish? Was this all just because of the mock trial? She'd never expected Hiro to stoop to that kind of level but if that was the way he was going to play it, then she was going to have to figure out how to fight back and quickly if it wasn't already too late.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing :)

**Chapter 14: **Nothing but the Truth


	14. Chapter 14

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 14 - Nothing but the Truth**

Sesshoumaru looked at his watch as he heard a knock at the door. Kagura wasn't supposed to be there for another two hours and Inuyasha was still up playing.

Opening the door, Sesshoumaru found himself at a loss for words. Inuyasha beat him to the greeting as he ran up to Rin, who was clearly carrying an overnight bag. He'd told Rin they weren't going to study tonight when he got back from lunch. Had she gotten confused?

"…"

"Ms. Rin!"

"Hi Inuyasha."

"You staying?"

"We'll see. It's up to Sesshoumaru."

"Can Ms. Rin stay? Please?"

"…"

Tonight should have been simple. Kagura would come, stay the night and leave at the break of dawn and no one had to know. Now it was complicated. Two years of acquired skills getting women in and out on his schedule and he had nothing for this situation for the fact that he didn't want to hurt either of the women involved. The way he saw it he had two options: Call Kagura and tell her she was going to have to find another place to sleep tonight or somehow work Rin back out of the apartment without it seeming offensive or suspicious for that matter in now less than two hours. Otherwise, he risked losing her the moment she and Kagura came face to face.

"Inuyasha, why don't you go play in your room. Your brother and I need to concentrate."

"Ok."

The moment Inuyasha nodded and went off to his room Sesshoumaru noticed Rin's expression become serious. It was the same one she'd used when he tried to keep her from acting as his attorney.

"We need to talk."

His mind started to race. What did she know?

"Rin…"

"I overheard Hiro earlier today while you were having lunch with a client."

"What did you hear?"

"I think, a lot. Hiro will stop at nothing to win this you know that. He'll do whatever it takes even if it means bringing someone back into your life just to distract you, to hurt you."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think Hiro is trying to use your ex against you."

"My ex? Ok, I get it. A scenario right?"

"It's not a scenario."

He quirked a brow but didn't say a word. Rin could tell he wasn't taking her seriously.

"What's your ex's name?"

"Rin come on. I promise, we'll be back to studying as usual, just not tonight."

"Sesshoumaru..."

She followed him to sit down on the couch.

"…whatever you think is personal to you is now fair game to Hiro. I need the truth from you. Otherwise, he's going to be able to throw things out there that I had no clue about and no way to defend you."

"Rin, I understand that you're trying to be prepared but my personal life has nothing to do with this. Hiro has to prove that I don't have the skills necessary to run the firm, not who I did or didn't spend time with outside of the office. I didn't think you would try to use something like this for your own personal gain."

"What?! I'm not. Everything I'm telling you is the truth. I overheard Hiro talking to a woman named Kagura. He said she knew you well and that there was time left for something. I don't know what but he's planning to use her against you. Do you know her? Is she your ex?"

"Yes, but Kagura wouldn't…she's not...even so, it doesn't make sense."

"Obviously, Hiro thinks it does."

Rin wouldn't make something like this up but he didn't want to believe that Kagura would do something this underhanded either. If so, how much of what she said earlier today was a lie, how much was the truth? Was he supposed to believe the tears were fake too? He couldn't just ignore it.

"Hiro must have known you were there. He was probably just using it to throw you off. He can't gain anything from this."

"So, you're just willing to write this off?"

"I'm not writing it off. Look, it's been a long day. I just want to get some rest. We'll have time to think about it tomorrow."

"Do you remember what Hiro said about me when the three of us were in your father's office?"

"…"

"Hiro said I was the only one that could get into your head because I was the closest person to you. The only other person you talked to aside from your father. If he was thinking along those lines, why wouldn't he find someone even closer, Kagura? You said for yourself that when the two of you were together you brought the office down with you. Your personal life was mixed with business and was on display for everyone in the office to see."

"Yes, back then. But Kagura has nothing to do with the firm anymore."

"She will if she's with you."

"You're over thinking this. Go home and get some rest. Kagura and I are not going to get back together."

"You say that now."

"You honestly believe I still have feelings for her?"

"…I don't know what you feel for her. But you'll find a way to justify letting her back in. I'm not here to tell you what you already know. Right now, I'm thinking like your attorney and I'm telling you that if she shows back up after two years in the midst of preparing for this mock trial it's awfully ironic. Every minute that we lose if she's around or on your mind, is a minute that Hiro gains. If you don't want to listen to me it's fine but when Hiro wins..."

"He won't."

She didn't know whether she was angry, disappointed or feeling both at the same time for the fact that she couldn't fully get him to see the truth. Instead of fully believing her he'd gone neutral. He was going to make his own decision despite the warning. No matter what she did, if Sesshoumaru wasn't on board with her, his attorney, it would be a total loss.

"Fine."

He watched Rin knit her brow and close her eyes in frustration before she calmed and just headed for the door without another word. He'd seen similar reactions from others that never mattered to him until now. For the last two years, Rin was the only person he trusted and now he was willing to give up the trust that easily. He was compromising a future for a past that he knew didn't work. Was he making the wrong decision?

"Wait."

Her hand froze on the door.

"You're sure of what you heard?"

"Positive. I can't make it any more clear."

He clenched his jaw before finding resolve.

"I didn't have lunch with a client today…" Seeing that he had her attention again he continued. "I met with Kagura."

"What did she want?"

He filled her in on the situation, from Kagura's phone calls to the intention to let Kagura stay because of the situation that she said she was in.

Learning that he was going to let Kagura stay let in feelings that she had to ignore. Right now, that wasn't what mattered. Blocking those feelings out was the only way that Rin could get the next words out of her mouth.

"You have to let her stay."

"What?"

"If you all of a sudden go back on your word tonight, right before she shows up…"

"...Hiro will become suspicious that we know his plan. So what's yours?"

"We wait, and when Hiro strikes, we turn the tables."

If anything, Hiro was going to play off of her public reaction to realizing that Sesshoumaru and Kagura were together. So, who would like the fool if there was no reaction at all? Rin would let Hiro believe that he'd placed a wedge between she and Sesshoumaru for the time being.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for continuing to read and review everyone!

**Chapter 15: **Unofficial Business


	15. Chapter 15

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 15 Unofficial Business**

Sesshoumaru turned over again as he heard the shower running. Kagura came in earlier that night to drop her things off and they'd been cordial but now after getting up to let her back in at 3:35 in the morning and the amount of noise she'd made right up to getting in the shower was the kind of annoyance that creeps up on you like the itch of a tag in the back of new shirt. It shouldn't have been enough to bother him, but the fact that he knew Kagura was in with Hiro was enough to make her lightest footsteps irritating. He buried his head back into the pillow but was interrupted from trying to find solace as he listened to her fumble around in the dark. He now wished Rin had have been angry enough to tell him Kagura couldn't stay. But that wasn't Rin.

"Quiet as an elephant."

"Well, would you prefer that I turn on the light?"

She shrugged as he hit the light. "On a high note, it was a good night."

"Please spare me."

"Why? One good night and I'm out of your hair. That's what you want right?"

Kagura sat on the bed as she unwrapped the towel from her damp hair. Her eyes drifting to meet Sesshoumaru's.

"I've really missed you."

"..." There would be no sleep tonight.

"You remember when we first started dating? We used to have a lot of nights where we could talk to each other…"

"…fight with each other."

"But, we always made up. We were always wrapped in each other's arms by sunrise."

"When? I don't remember one."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"Every time we fought, you walked out the door."

"Is that all you remember? The negative?"

"What else is there?"

"You know like I do that there was a lot more to us than the fighting. Two years? Something kept us together and let's just say it wasn't the deep conversations over coffee."

"Tch."

"You know it's true."

She smirked as she let the silence come between them.

Leaning over, she kissed him slowly testing, and continuing until he fully faced her.

"What are you doing?"

"Reminding you."

She smiled as she kissed him again. Had he ever really let her go?

'_I don't know what you feel for her…' _Did he still have feelings for Kagura? Sesshoumaru realized that denying Kagura was easier said than done. Rin knew better. Every other kiss was drawing him back in to Kagura.

'…_you'll find a way to justify letting her back in.' _What was the justification here? He knew what Kagura was doing. There was no excuse.

'_Right now, I'm thinking like your attorney…you have to let her stay.' _How hard had it been for Rin to walk out of the door and trust him with his ex? The part that wasn't the attorney, the part that she'd learned to mask, was the part that refrained from showing that it bothered her. It was the part that kept her from telling him that he was insane for letting this woman stay when they were…

"Kagura…stop."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"We're not together anymore. We're not doing this."

"Who said we have to be together. Besides, I'm paying you back. It's not like you have anyone else to worry about."

There was no point in Kagura being here if she didn't already know about Rin. She was playing her part.

"I don't want you to pay me back and actually I am in a relationship with someone."

Kagura searched his eyes for anything that would tell her it was a lie. She knew what Hiro told her but part of her wanted to believe that Hiro was just trying to make her jealous by stretching the truth like he always did.

"You're serious?"

"..."

"So, is she some naive girl you've got hanging onto your every word?"

"No."

"I am interested to know. What did you tell her about me? Your ex?"

He sat up to make her move. "None of your business."

"Hmph. It figures. I bet she knows every single one of my mistakes right? The crazy ex. Don't deny it. All guys say their exes are crazy but they never give away their own hand. I'm sure you didn't wish to tell her about your faults."

"Surely you must be having regrets. Your exit was no fault of mine."

"Maybe I do have regrets. I know you wouldn't have let me stay if it wasn't for what happened with Kaze. He should have been yours and I wish he was but it was either living with a lie or walking out the door and I walked. But you had your part to play too. You won't admit it but if she stays with you long enough she'll see it. The two of you will end up fighting over the same things that we did and you won't understand why she's upset all the time."

"What did I possibly do to you that was so wrong that could help you make the decision that you made?"

Kagura got up from bed.

"Like I said, conversation was never our thing. How could it be when you never listened? When she becomes a distant second to your true love, your work, she'll do anything to get your attention in a place other than this room."

Sesshoumaru thought that her claim that he didn't listen or pay enough attention to her was ridiculous. They worked together. They were constantly around each other. He wasn't going to start an argument with less than three hours left to sleep.

"...Goodnight Kagura."

… …

Rin relentlessly tapped her pen against her notepad as she looked up at the clock. As always, she was one of the first ones to get to the office. Noticing Hiro come in, she turned to her computer screen and made herself busy before smiling brightly.

"Good morning Hiro."

"Good morning."

She watched him double back to her desk. Obviously he'd forgotten something.

"Say, is Sesshoumaru still planning to have that meeting tomorrow?"

"I assume so. He hasn't asked me to cancel it."

"Very good. By the way, I have a few errands that I'm going to need for you to run for me."

"Sure. But, I'm afraid they'll have to wait until this afternoon. Sesshoumaru's got me pretty tied up this morning."

The only thing Rin had on her plate dealing with work this morning was phone calls and coffee. But 'tied up' was putting it delicately if she wanted to describe her night after leaving Sesshoumaru knowing his ex was going to be there.

"Well, I'll expect that you'll get to them as soon as you can."

"Of course."

She noticed Hiro look over his shoulder as Sesshoumaru entered. Rin was immediately by his side before he could get through the door good. Chances were, Hiro wanted to make sure that all had gone well last night. Sesshoumaru wouldn't have had a chance to say anything about his visitor.

"Morning!"

"I take it you slept well last night."

"Like a log. You?"

Sesshoumaru let out a half-hearted laugh and nodded until Hiro was out of sight and they were in the privacy of his office.

"Yeah…no."

"So how did it go last night? I mean, what did she say?"

"Everything she had to say was about our past which you already know about."

"Is there anything that I need to know about from the present?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Nothing really happened, although that's not to say she didn't try."

She nodded but the tension wasn't fully gone. All she had was his word. She had to trust his side of the story but what side would Kagura try to paint when nothing _really_ happened?

"Before I forget, Hiro wants to know if we are still having that meeting tomorrow?"

"Yeah, everyone needs to be there. Wh...?"He sighed, stopping himself from asking why.

"You think?"

"Why wouldn't he use the meeting? It's the perfect setup."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews folks! :)

**Ch 16: **The Meeting


	16. Chapter 16

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 16 - The Meeting**

Sesshoumaru looked up at the clock as everyone began to take their seats. Any other day, the meeting would have probably meant next to nothing by comparison to the anticipation of today's events. The thought of discussing old minutes and new minutes seemed to be perfectly in sync with the current situation.

Sesshoumaru was barely getting through the old minutes before Rin noticed an unwelcome presence enter the room. Kagura met Sesshoumaru's gaze as she stood there, a folder in hand. Her expression was hard to read but he'd seen it once before. The same expression that she'd had when admitting that the child wasn't his and that she'd made a mistake. Maybe it was confusion, sadness, or regret for what she was about to do.

Almost immediately, all eyes were on Kagura and the whispers were becoming more than that over her presence. Rin took in Hiro's reaction through her periphery. The smirk was nearly undetectable but it was there and with everyone's attention elsewhere, he relaxed in his seat. He'd been tolerable up to this point but now she despised him.

"Kagura, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't leave town without at least thanking you for letting me stay last night. I was down on my luck. I really appreciated it."

As Rin had expected, all eyes landed on her anticipating some reaction, some look surprise or hurt but there was nothing to be seen and Hiro was no longer at ease by her performance and even less so by Kagura's.

"You're welcome, but we're in the middle of a meeting. You need to leave."

"I'm going. I was just passing through."

Hiro sat up straighter, "Down on your luck? Kagura, the last time you were here, you were employed at this firm. Rumor has it that you're working for Hisoto now. A rival firm of ours. I find it interesting that you would ask Sesshoumaru to let you stay."

Rin heard the whispers start again and Kagura seemed thrown off.

"Hiro, stop playing your games. Kagura is here because you asked her to be here and you probably paid her off, but that's speculation and I won't go there. Why don't you tell everyone sitting here how you planned this, how you planned for Kagura to be here, to come back and make everyone believe that her being around would affect my work relationship with Sesshoumaru all for the sake of a mock trial? For the record, I knew Kagura was there last night. I encouraged Sesshoumaru to let her stay. It seems to me that the only one who needs to be talked to about where personal affairs do and don't belong is you."

Rin watched Hiro's mouth draw into a line as he swallowed.

Hiro didn't know how she'd known. He'd underestimated her for the time being and Kagura had failed miserably in this endeavor. But Sesshoumaru's reputation was corruptible by more than one means and he wondered if Rin was smart enough to figure out the second part of this plan.

"Yes, it's true. I wanted Sesshoumaru and Kagura to have a chance at true love again. After all, she wanted her child to have his father back in his life…"

"He's not…!"

"Kagura, please. You know you came to me begging to see Sesshoumaru again."

"You…I have to go!"

Sesshoumaru and Rin watched as Kagura nearly lost it completely. It was apparent now that Kagura wanted nothing more to do with this presentation of lies. But whatever Hiro was holding over her was enough to stop her from saying anything more.

"What do you have in your hand Kagura?" Hiro stood to stop her and took the folder she was carrying before he addressed everyone.

"You all want to know the truth? Do you?! This isn't a game. This is your career and if you look closely, you'll find that you may not have one when Sesshoumaru becomes your boss. Kagura works for Hisoto. He and Sesshoumaru have been in contact and struck a deal with each other to merge. This act, that Sesshoumaru's been putting on for the last two months is to send all of us out of here with a knife in our back!"

"You liar!" Sesshoumaru felt Rin's hand touch his arm. It was enough to bring him back to cool and calculated rather than deadly and destructive. "Anyone who knows me would know that I would never merge my father's firm. The only time I spoke with Hisoto was to deny his request. What's more, I never signed this document and if you try to present this in the mock trial, know that you will be in for a rude awakening."

Hiro took his attention from Sesshoumaru to address the shock and confusion on everyone's faces.

"You decide for yourselves if a leopard can change its spots. I, for one, have my doubts."

Rin narrowed her eyes.

"Hiro, what you're doing is illegal and when Taisho finds out about this, you'll be the only one worrying about finding a new job."

"You're so confident in Sesshoumaru and yet so blind. At the end of this mock trial, you'll be yesterday's news like the rest of your coworkers. You're nothing special."

"I suggest you take your leave." The deadliness was back in Sesshoumaru's voice and Rin couldn't help but feel the same.

"I'll clock you out myself."

Kagura was already gone and Hiro found himself outmatched.

…

Sesshoumaru watched Rin, unsure that her suggestion to take a walk through the park that evening was helping. Maybe she felt like they hadn't won the battle outright. His anger probably hadn't helped the situation but they clearly had the upper hand. Rin was more believable than he or Hiro were on their best day. Kagura and Hiro clearly weren't on the same page and her display was a bust. Hiro was digging for anything stable. The signature was a forgery and as long as they proved it, Hiro wouldn't have a leg to stand on by the time they got to the trial.

"Are you alright?"

Rin nodded but didn't say anything.

"You know I didn't sign into a merger."

"I know. It's not that. I just had something else on my mind that's all."

It wasn't the fact that Hiro brought up a merger that ate at her. Rin knew that Sesshoumaru would die before he betrayed his father. But she had to admit to herself that Kagura's presence had hurt, maybe more than she wanted it to and Hiro hit on something that she'd been wondering for a while now. Where would she and Sesshoumaru be when the mock trial was over? Would any connection that they had now become void in the absence of purpose?

Inuyasha held onto Rin's hand as he noticed a little girl swinging between her parents as they walked through the park. He tugged at his brother's sleeve and reached his hand up to be held.

"Has that hand been anywhere near your mouth recently?"

Rin's cheeks dimpled as Inuyasha shook his head but then looked at his thumb closely as Sesshoumaru quirked a brow.

"It dried."

Sesshoumaru sighed as Inuyasha took his hand without waiting for an answer and lifted both feet off the ground. The child looked as if he was sitting in an invisible chair. Rin shook her head at how awkward this must have looked at the moment. Inuyasha didn't realize that he needed them to do more than just hold his hand to accomplish his goal but what he didn't know didn't keep him from trying. Maybe she would take a page from Inuyasha's book on life.

As they started to swing Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru saw some of the light return to Rin. If she was down, it wasn't for long. There was a fighter in her that he wanted to keep by his side. Telling Kagura that he and Rin were in a relationship might have been premature but it sounded right coming out. The hard part was convincing Rin that he could settle down again and he was trustworthy enough to make it work if she was willing to try.

* * *

A/N: More to come :) Thank-you for all the encouragement to keep writing!

**Chapter 17: **Taking a Chance


	17. Chapter 17

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 17 - Taking a Chance**

Rin peaked over the couch to make sure that Sesshoumaru was still asleep. Quietly she picked up his phone and scrolled through the contacts. It was taking forever to find the number that she needed. Finally, it came up.

The night was quiet as Rin flagged down a cab as she looked at her phone again. It had been an hour since she sent the first message. The look the cab driver gave her through the rear view mirror was enough to send shivers down her spine. Obviously, this profession chose him against his wishes. There were certain parts of the city in which she never ventured and certainly not in her own finicky vehicle. Rin fidgeted nervously with her phone. The ride was taking much longer than she'd expected and the driver was still shooting wicked glances into the rear view mirror.

As they pulled up to her requested destination she took a breath. The bars weren't her scene. There were always too many fights, cat calls, and bad pick up lines. Nevertheless, she was here and it was a chance she was willing to take.

She sat down at the far end of the bar, trying to stay away from the older gentlemen who were smiling eerily in her direction. Maybe if she just looked away, they wouldn't notice her.

"Don't mind the old boys. Their bark is worse than their bite. They just like to see the pretty young ones."

Rin looked up to see Kagura as she winked at the men.

"Is there somewhere less noisy that we can talk?"

"Yeah. Come on."

She followed Kagura into what looked like a long dressing room.

"I take it Sesshoumaru doesn't know about this?"

"No. I needed some questions answered on my own."

Kagura looked down at her nails feigning disinterest. She didn't know how much she could risk telling Rin.

"I know you changed your mind at the meeting. You didn't do what Hiro wanted you to but you still played it safe with him there."

"What do you want to know?"

"Was what Hiro said true? Do you work for Hisoto?"

"Yeah. I work for him. What about it?"

"So how much of it was a lie?"

"Why should I tell you, Sesshoumaru's new girlfriend? What's in it for me?"

"If you truly ever loved him, you would never have done this."

"You don't know anything about me. I did love him and I still do."

"It doesn't seem like it. If you had a heart, you'd feel something similar to regret for what you've done and if you wanted to fix it and keep Sesshoumaru from despising you for the rest of your life, then you would do what's right."

Kagura looked away from her.

"You responded to my request for a reason. You know this may be your last chance to show him that you ever cared."

"…You don't need me to tell you that Sesshoumaru didn't sign into a merger."

"What about the child? Is Sesshoumaru the father?"

"No, he's not."

"How do you know?"

"The DNA doesn't match and it won't."

"He tested?"

"No. I tested Hiro though."

Rin swallowed hard and tried to concentrate on the rest of what Kagura was saying. But it was now coming in bits and pieces.

"I guess you could say I was sneaky about it. Turns out, it's not all that hard to get DNA. Hiro still doesn't know. I didn't want him to be the father. I still don't and I certainly don't want to be bothered with seeing him on a regular basis. My child is better off not knowing than having Hiro as his father."

Rin shook her head. She didn't know why she was surprised. Kagura seemed less than concerned as she sat in front of a mirror and began to touch up her makeup.

"How did this happen?"

"Hiro and I have a past but not the kind you're thinking at least not when we first met. Have you ever wondered how Hiro wins so many cases?"

"I always assumed he was good at what he did."

Kagura laughed at the thought. Hiro was hardly good at what he did. Kagura turned to Rin, truly looking at her for the first time. She could see what Rin had that she lacked. There was calm, patience, and an unshakable determination in this young woman. Rin was right. This was the last chance she would ever get to make things right.

"Hiro has connections and he established even more when Sesshoumaru came on with the firm."

"Connections?"

"Crooked cops, detectives, other attorneys, you name it. Fabrication is Hiro's key to success. All kinds of documents came through that were absolute lies."

"I've never seen anything like that. I would've flagged it."

"Yes, you would have and Hiro knows that. He's probably got that information going straight to him now."

"Why didn't you say anything when you were there?"

"That's where the history comes in. Hiro met me in a bar like this several years ago. He tipped generously and told me that he could get me a real job as long as I agreed to keep a few things confidential. I agreed. He put in a good word for me with Taisho and I was hired. Money talked and I kept my mouth closed and ignored the documents. When Sesshoumaru came on with the firm I fell for him and I thought things would get better but they didn't. Hiro's always been jealous of Sesshoumaru. He was a direct threat to Hiro and the more Hiro saw us together the more I was threatened to keep my mouth closed. I did what Hiro wanted me to do, obviously to the point that it closed out my relationship with Sesshoumaru. To my knowledge, Sesshoumaru's never stooped to Hiro's level. He's simply smart about the cases he takes. If Hiro ever gets investigated, chances are, I'm going to jail with him."

Rin wasn't sure how to respond to this. Taisho would never have let this go on but Hiro was doing everything underhanded and with Kagura never reporting anything, it would have been even harder to catch.

"Is there any chance that you would testify on Sesshoumaru's behalf?"

"Look, I told you what you wanted to know but there's no way that's going to happen, mock trial or not. There's too much at stake."

"I guess there's nothing else then."

"Rin…"

Rin watched her pull something from a drawer and then write on a sticky note. Kagura took her hand and placed the item in it along with the small paper. As Rin looked at what had been placed in her hand she looked up at Kagura, surprised.

"I think you know what to do with this. I don't want to be up under Hiro anymore. I can't be a witness but the letters and numbers on that paper are a password and if you're smart, you'll know how and where to use it to get what you need."

Rin half smiled and nodded as she whispered her thanks.

…

Sesshoumaru shook his head as he watched her sleep from the doorway. Rin hadn't even bothered with her clothes. She'd left on the jeans and t-shirt, even the shoes had barely made it off her feet and within barely five minutes of being back she'd fallen asleep. Admittedly he'd been suspicious after she'd gone through his phone and left but upon her return, he'd felt bad about the thought. Rin had a reason for what she'd done. He wasn't sure if she'd accomplished what she wanted to but the ring in his hand was enough.

Her eyes were still groggy with sleep as she opened them with the kiss against her forehead.

"Go back to sleep."

He noticed her shake her head and grasp his hand only to pull him toward her until he was finally laying next to her. He understood and didn't shy away from putting his arm around her.

After the shady cab driver, traveling clear across the city into the worst area imaginable and getting the eerie glances, not to mention riding back home with said shady cab driver she wasn't about to let Sesshoumaru leave her.

If he could promise to fight off the supernatural for Inuyasha, he could fight off the memory of eerie old men and shady cab drivers tonight.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you all for reading/reviewing :)_

**Chapter 18: **Ticking Clock


	18. Chapter 18

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 18 - Ticking Clock**

The frustration was building. Rin couldn't think of another question and then the thought of several nights ago started running through her mind. She'd filled Sesshoumaru in on all but one thing and that was the fact that she knew who the father of Kagura's child was. There was already enough unrest between Sesshoumaru and Hiro. She didn't know how Sesshoumaru would react to that information and the last thing they needed was more animosity.

Sesshoumaru watched Rin pace the front room as she tried to think of her next question. Her pace was starting to quicken and it was becoming more painful to watch by the moment. He eyed the sleeping child on the couch, the cue cards peaked from underneath Inuyasha's fingers that held hints to how she was to approach the next question. He heard Rin make a panicked noise to keep him from pulling a card and disturbing Inuyasha. After another full minute of pacing and pondering she was back into attack mode again.

At the end of it, Rin flopped onto the couch next to Sesshoumaru. She didn't even wait for the critiques. She knew what he was about to say.

"Ugh! I don't have time to stand there for a minute and a half and think of the next question I'm going to ask."

"Unfortunately, no."

"What am I going to do? I've got two weeks to get this right."

Sesshoumaru heard her sigh again as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Her arm was cool to the touch and slightly tense but relaxing now as his fingers moved along her arm. A couple of months ago, he wanted to blow Rin off. He'd thought the task of teaching her what she needed to know for this mock trial was too daunting not to mention the dangers of falling in love with her. Instead, she'd become his saving grace. If he'd been defending himself, there was no way that he would have had any idea of how twisted Hiro was going to become in all of this. He would have maintained his usual uncaring demeanor with his colleagues and there would have been no course of reaction to Kagura if Hiro had tried to use her in the same way. Rin had risked going out by herself in the middle of the night to a bar in the worst area of town not for herself but for him. It didn't matter that she'd been successful in getting back the ring from Kagura or finding out information about Hiro. Even if she'd failed, it was where her heart was in all of this.

"Relax."

"Relax?" Rin placed her hand against Sesshoumaru's forehead. "You must be sick."

"I'm not sick." He smirked, lacing his fingers through Rin's as he removed her hand from his forehead.

"So, if you're not sick, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing."

"Oh?" Rin pulled back and raised a brow as if unbelieving that response and waited for him to say something more.

"I'm starting to rub off on you I see."

"I have felt the urge to look out of your office window and watch the people below here recently but that's beside the point. I'm still waiting on a real answer."

"I wish things weren't moving so quickly either but we can't control time."

"…" She stifled another sigh that was threatening to escape.

"You're nervous."

"Maybe...a little...a lot."

"Don't be."

"How am I not supposed to be nervous? I've never done anything like this before. I don't want to make a complete idiot out of myself especially not in front of Hiro and then if I can't prove your innocence...!"

"Rin. Trust me. If the trial was tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate to let you defend me."

"Now, you're really scaring me. Have you forgotten that this has real consequences for you?"

"That's exactly why you shouldn't be nervous. I'm the one who should be nervous. You've gone above and beyond what I could have ever taught you or asked you to do."

"But…"

Rin couldn't finish before Sesshoumaru led her out onto the balcony. Despite the eeriness from several nights ago, she could see the beauty of the city. Even at this time, it was still busy. The distant freeway still showed headlights of the late workers making their way home and the lights were still aglow in the buildings that seemed to touch the clouds around them.

"For once, allow yourself to be selfish."

"Being selfish isn't natural to me. I know you said for me not put myself in the other person's shoes, not to let myself get personally involved, that that was part of the game. I guess I'm not very good at playing it. Besides, where would my family be, where would you be or how would you feel, if I allowed myself to be selfish? Who would I be?"

"I suppose you wouldn't be yourself and maybe I wouldn't be..."

He caught himself. The hesitation was still there.

Back then, he wanted the wife, the child and for a moment he almost had it. But as it always did, life happened and he drew an imaginary line to keep himself from falling in love again. The women whose hearts he played with were easy to forget, and easier to keep away from his heart. But Rin? There was something about her that kept pushing him to think that his heart would be safe with her. But would hers be safe with him? He couldn't expect that they would never run into a woman that he'd been with or that some of the women wouldn't approach Rin just to hurt her like Kagura had. The others had even more of a reason for the one night stands and literal rude awakenings. Rin was strong but she'd have a breaking point just like anyone else.

"…?"

"What?"

"You didn't finish what you were going to say."

"It wasn't important."

Rin shook her head as he looked away from her. Sesshoumaru didn't speak unless it was important. She couldn't help but let her suspicions rise as to what it was about. The last few days he'd been flirting more, putting his arms around her whenever there was an opportunity, a touch here or a kiss there. She had no complaints but the question was still existing. Was he just having fun with her for the time being or did he want something more?

"Sesshoumaru, what are we doing?"

He looked at her before his gaze fell back to the railing of the balcony. He understood what she was asking but didn't know how to respond to it.

"…"

It was as she thought. Fun. They were just enjoying each other for the time being. There wasn't anything else to them.

Time wasn't slowing down, it was speeding up and he at least owed her an answer.

"That question doesn't have an easy answer. But, there is something I wanted to say."

"What did you want to say?" She felt the need to whisper as he pulled her closer. She didn't know why she got chills every time he touched her. She wished she could just turn the feelings off but it was too hard to do, at least now.

"…" What if she pulled away?

"Sesshoumaru…?"

"If I said that I'm falling in love with the person that's in my arms but I don't know how to tell her, what would she say?"

"Maybe she feels the same way but was afraid that you would walk away."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to everyone for the support and inspiration._

**Ch 19: Final Preparations**


	19. Chapter 19

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 19 - Final Preparations**

"Daddy!" Inuyasha jumped into his father's arms the moment he opened the door.

Taisho smiled hugging the child tightly as Sesshoumaru was followed by Rin into his home. He wondered how his two recruits fared against Sesshoumaru. Had their underlying purpose been successful in this venture?

"Did you have fun Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha nodded. "We played! Big brother and Ms. Rin did staring contests!"

"Did they now?" Inuyasha nodded again as Taisho raised a brow at the smile on Rin's face and the smirk pulling at the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth. Maybe putting these two together had worked better than he planned.

"Sesshoumaru, Rin, it's good to see the two of you again. I hope that Inuyasha wasn't too challenging for you."

"Oh no he was…"

"Bearable." Sesshoumaru finished before Rin had the audacity to put good, sweet, or angelic at the end of that sentence. Even if he didn't mind taking Inuyasha a weekend or so out of the month there was no way he was going to put the idea of baby-sitting for three months again into his father's head.

Rin rolled her eyes at him. Sesshoumaru was going to miss the rambunctious child more than he realized.

"He was fine Taisho."

"Good. Rin, I take it you're ready for the trial?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. I think Sesshoumaru taught me just about everything he knows."

"And what I couldn't teach her, she taught herself and me at the same time."

"I see." Now there was something new. Sesshoumaru, admitting that there was something he couldn't teach and that he'd allowed himself to learn from Rin.

Taisho was starting to notice something different about the two of them. Rin was more confident than usual and Sesshoumaru seemed a bit subdued. It was as if some of their energies had traded places.

Putting Rin and Inuyasha into Sesshoumaru's life at the same time wasn't coincidence it was part of the plan. Sesshoumaru's lack of personal direction after Kagura was concerning to say the least. He wasn't pushing for his son to settle down, but he needed to slow down and acknowledge what was right in front of his face…Rin. From the moment he'd hired Rin, Sesshoumaru's intrigue in her was there. If it wasn't, his son wouldn't have wasted his breath on her yet he'd never made a move on Rin. There was always the thought that it was too early after Kagura but a year and now two had passed with nothing to show for the claim that his son had moved on and there was certainly nothing to be said for the relationships that didn't make it past 24 hours.

"Father, have you spoken with Hiro since you've been back?"

"Not yet, but you know although it's a mock trial, I can't discuss anything."

"I know."

"How is the firm?"

"As it always has been."

"Any last minute preparations?"

"Just one."

Rin looked at Sesshoumaru trying to figure out what could possibly be left for them to go over.

…

Rin didn't know exactly where they were headed as she watched the buildings rush by in the dusk dark. The moon was already visible in the sky and she thought about the last two weeks. There was no doubt that Hiro had pulled three strong witnesses. They'd pulled three witnesses and Sesshoumaru would testify on his own behalf making four. The strategy was to have only one more than Hiro could have. Any more and she would look like she was grasping for straws to prove Sesshoumaru's innocence.

Sesshoumaru alternated between watching the road and Rin trying to figure out what was going through her mind at the moment. Her most recent concern had been with his decision to take the stand. Testifying on his own behalf was a risk that was going to put him in Hiro's line of fire but would also allow the jury to see that he had nothing to hide. On top of that, if Hiro pushed the merger issue, Taisho was going to want to hear the other end straight from him. In any case they were as prepared as they could be and the rest of the evening had the intended purpose of taking Rin's mind off the impending trial.

"We're here."

Rin blinked a few times to bring herself out of thought. She didn't even realize they'd stopped. She looked at the building they were parked in front of not much less confused than she'd been when they pulled up.

"What are we doing at a dress shop?"

"You're representing me and I want you to look like it. I would only leave my fate in the hands of the best."

"What's wrong with what I usually wear?"

Rin noticed him raise a brow. Was that expression offensive or endearing? She was weighing the two heavily. Maybe it was more like a brutally honest gesture on a pillow. So maybe, she'd been wearing the same wardrobe for the last two years. Everyone in the office could have probably predicted Monday through Friday's outfits with the exception of a blouse here or there that had seen better days. Every time she wore something new, even if it was a piece of costume jewelry, everyone threw compliments like they were going out of style.

Sesshoumaru nearly laughed watching her approach one of the racks as if it was going to bite her. It was like releasing a timid animal into the wild for the first time. He saw her notice a price tag and put the top back faster than she'd picked it up.

Rin had a harder time breathing right now than when Sesshoumaru said he was falling in love with her.

The angry whisper came sprinting forward, "Are you crazy?! Everything in here is designer! I can't even afford the clearance rack!"

"I hadn't noticed. Get what you want."

"I know how this works."

"How does this work?"

"You tell me you're falling in love with me, buy me nice things, and then you'll expect that I owe you something in return."

"No."

He wasn't sure exactly how she felt that she was going to owe him after this. If anyone owed anyone anything, it was he who owed her and that debt might now be beyond comprehension if he counted from day one when Rin had been hired. The amount of excuses that she made up for him on a daily basis, the helping hand she'd provided with Inuyasha, and then preparing for the mock trial alone had probably put him in a deficit that was much greater than any amount of money could match. And that "something in return" that Rin thought he wanted was exactly why he hadn't brought it up.

It took a lot of coaxing and a little more persuasion to get her into the clothes but once she was there the smile returned and she was having fun; more importantly she wasn't anywhere else at the moment but there with him.

The final outfit she came out in was a black dress that could not be described as business casual.

Rin raised an eyebrow and shook her head as she walked out of the dressing room. His reaction was exactly what she was expecting. It was his pick after all and he was loving every additional second he could keep her out there. He was studying her like he was going to have to take a test later.

"I thought you said this was for work?"

"You misunderstood. I said it was for after work." He smiled.

"Do tell me where I will be going after work in this backless little number."

"On a date to celebrate our win."

"Hypothetically speaking, what if we don't win?"

"Then, I will be one happy criminal on the run with his model girlfriend."

"A model that's all of five feet?"

"Could have fooled me."

Rin couldn't help but laugh as he took her hand and led her into a turn to give him a full view of the dress. Her back rested against his chest feeling every beat of his heart. Sesshoumaru looked at the reflection of the two of them in the mirror. Was it possible that she could be his forever?

* * *

_A/N: My appreciation for all the readers and reviewers out there :)_

**Chapter 20: **Trial in Error


	20. Chapter 20

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 20 - Trial in Error (p. 1)**

Rin looked down at her watch as she filed the last few papers away. Most of the office had emptied out to head toward what would be considered their courtroom. She was frightened to see Hiro standing next to the file cabinet as she closed it.

"It seems that our date in court has come. I wonder if they'll be able to see past the new outfit. It's certainly the most put together I've ever seen you. Let's hope that you can back up the look with some persuasive words on Sesshoumaru's behalf…"

"Is there a problem?"

Hiro smirked as Sesshoumaru came to Rin's side.

"No. I was only about to wish her luck. May the best _man_ win."

The two of them watched Hiro leave the office before Sesshoumaru turned to Rin.

"What did he say to you?"

"He was being a jerk and trying to get in my head like he has been for the last three months."

She pushed up the sleeves of the white blouse only to nervously tug at the black vest that matched the fitted skirt and heels.

She might have been standing three inches taller than usual, but Sesshoumaru lifted her chin to see her eyes.

"No matter what Hiro says, keep your head up. Look the snake in the eyes and let him know that you'll bite back. You know what you have in your favor. You're dressed to kill and I would expect nothing less."

"I know. I'm ready."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. It was exactly what she'd needed at the moment. She smiled at how handsome he was. Sesshoumaru's attire was always spot on. No one could pull off a suit and tie like he could.

The air thickened as they made their way toward the courtroom. Although it was a mock trial, Taisho had set it up to seem as real as possible. Rin didn't recognize any of the members of the jury. Their fellow coworkers made up their audience, some of which would be taking the stand soon.

Sesshoumaru huffed at his father's pick for the judge. Totosai. Of all the judges in the world his father picked the senile one or had Totosai volunteered? He hoped it was the latter. The old judge did more sleeping and daydreaming than listening. Either way, they needed a better set of acquaintances.

…

Rin called her first witness to the stand. Misha. She'd been nothing but supportive since Hiro's display during the meeting.

"Misha, could you attest to Sesshoumaru's character, his leadership skills in these last three months?"

"Sesshoumaru has kept everything in order. He's gone out of his way to make himself more available to all of us at the firm."

"So, you're saying that everything was as Taisho left it three months ago?"

"Yes, very much so."

"Do you believe that Sesshoumaru has the skills necessary to run the firm on a long term basis?"

"I certainly think so. He's been an upstanding leader. He knows how to stand up for the people who work for him and I think he'll do well in Taisho's place."

"And as far as experience goes?"

"All of us have to start somewhere. But I think if you look at Sesshoumaru's track record, you'll find that he's quite the prodigy among DAs. Either he's a quick learner or he's really smart. I dare say it's both."

Taisho listened as Misha continued to answer the questions that Rin was asking of her. According to Misha, Sesshoumaru had hit the social switch. Of course, once Rin was done, Hiro wasn't going to let Misha ride without questioning her to near death. Picking at sore spots like the issue of experience, Sesshoumaru's 180 degree social turn to win the case only to return to his old ways once the firm was in his hands and the fact that three months wasn't long enough to show that Sesshoumaru had the skills to keep the firm on its feet without major hiccups along the way. After which, Hiro went on to present his first witness. Karen Kasuto.

"No, he never really gave us any real directions while he was there. I barely knew he was there."

"So, Mrs. Kasuto what you're saying is that Sesshoumaru wasn't much of a leader? Am I right?"

"That's right."

"Mrs. Kasuto, do you remember the last time that Sesshoumaru Takahashi spoke directly with you?"

"I haven't spoken directly with Sesshoumaru since he entered the firm."

"Not even a hello, how's your day?"

"No."

"Surely you must have had some real words in the past to cause such a cold shoulder?"

"No, he's pretty much that way with everyone."

"Thank you Mrs. Kasuto. No further questions your honor."

Sesshoumaru noticed the smirk pull onto Hiro's face again. Of course Hiro had pulled Kasuto. They were closer than white on rice and she'd lie for him until the end of time itself. That was why he'd prepared Rin for her. Kasuto had a long track record with the firm. She had almost as many years of experience behind her as Hiro. She was a stern woman, no nonsense the way that most would have put it. Despite her success, Sesshoumaru had little tolerance for the woman. She'd quickly left a bad impression and found that the only advice that he cared to entertain was his father's.

Rin was prepared as she paced calmly before stopping before her victim.

"Mrs. Kasuto you denied that you had words with Sesshoumaru Takahashi to cause a cold shoulder, did you not?"

"Yes."

"You also said that the last conversation was in fact when Sesshoumaru started at the firm?"

"Yes."

"Then, you remember the day that you tried to take on a position that you were never assigned, as mentor for Mr. Takahashi."

"I wouldn't say mentor, I was just trying to help."

"In the case that you were "just trying to help", why would you have knowingly pulled illegal evidence and given it to Mr. Takahashi to present in his first trial?"

Kasuto froze, "That's…a lie. It was an example of evidence not to be used."

"Mrs. Kasuto, surely you remember that that in fact was not the conversation that you and Mr. Takahashi had? The conversation was about how to skirt the system. How to win your cases without so much as dropping a bead of sweat. All he would have to do was change the name, the date and few minor details…"

"Objection your honor!" Hiro stood to protest.

"…"

"Your honor! I said, objection!"

Totosai looked up, "What? Overruled. Go on."

Sesshoumaru smirked. Maybe Totosai was a better pick than he thought.

"…Mr. Takahashi left you that evening with your thoughts but he remembered the case number. After you left that evening he checked the case number with your records. It had been used in a prior trial to your client's benefit and your pocket. That next morning, Mr. Takahashi confronted you did he not?"

Rin acknowledged her inward curve of lips with an innocent batting of eyelashes. Kasuto was a tiger, ready to pounce.

"All we all want is the truth Mrs. Kasuto."

"Yes, but…"

Rin didn't let her finish.

"Mrs. Kasuto, the conversation that morning became an argument. You never had the right to act as a mentor pulling the kind of tricks worthy of someone who would want to lose their license…"

"It's not true... I've never…It's not true. Rin…you're putting my career on the line by these false accusations."

"No Mrs. Kasuto, you put your own career on the line."

Kasuto curled her lips again, "Sesshoumaru has poisoned you."

"No further questions your honor."

Taisho glanced his son before leaning back in his chair, the notepad in his lap now had two names scratched off as he lined his fingers up in anticipation of the rest of the trial. Sesshoumaru had prepared Rin well as he'd expected and there was no doubt now that she'd bring each one on his list down one by one.

* * *

_A/N: Trial in Error continues. Thank you all for the inspiration to continue writing :)_

**_Chapter 21: Trial in Error p. 2_**


	21. Chapter 21

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

_A/N: I tried to shorten this chapter. I gave up :P_

**Chapter 21 - Trial in Error (II)**

Much like Misha's testimony, Lena's was the same. The difficulty that Hiro faced in questioning Lena was her unwavering responses. Anything that Hiro brought up seemed to be as good as dead the moment it came from his mouth.

Despite Hiro's lack of ability to make Lena stumble over her words, Rin and Sesshoumaru could both tell that there was something that Hiro was itching to get to, and that was his next witness.

"Your honor I would like to call a surprise witness, Nori Yoshito to the stand."

Sesshoumaru noticed Rin glance him somewhat confused and seeming to ask for answers but he guessed that he wasn't going to be much help. The name was the reminder that this trial was far from over.

The minute Nori appeared and approached the stand Sesshoumaru's memory of the last two years, became all too vivid again. It was inevitable that the not so distant past would be his undoing. Of course Hiro would do his homework and find _not_ the last one he'd slept with, but the last one he'd rejected before the announcement of the mock trial. There were the one night stands and then there was Nori, the standing appointment. But there was more to Nori than a seductive smile and a figure that would make the most confident woman jealous. She was an emotional roller coaster that he couldn't deal with anymore. The occasional visits became what seemed like psych sessions of her personal problems and the few hours of losing themselves were in fact lost.

"Mrs. Yoshito…"

"I prefer Ms. these days if you don't mind. My husband and I resolved our differences with a divorce."

Rin heard Sesshoumaru sigh and immediately she became aware that Nori was one of the "countless numbers".

"I'm sorry to hear that things could not be reconciled. Ms. Yoshito, how do you know Mr. Takahashi?"

"Well, of course we met at the firm. I was a temp. My ex-husband and I and he and Kagura doubled on a couple of outings. Kagura and I were very good friends."

"Were? Ms. Yoshito, you speak as if you've lost a friend."

"I lost a friend and her sweet little boy when she left the firm."

So far, the only thing that Rin could tell was that Nori was here for the sake of a personal account that had nothing to do with Sesshoumaru's ability to run the firm. Even so, the nerves were building.

"Objection. Your honor, my client's personal life has nothing to do with the reason that we are here."

"…Sustained. Hiro please move on."

"Of course your honor. Before I was so rudely interrupted, I was getting to the reason that Ms. Yoshito is here."

"While, we would all like to overlook Sesshoumaru's personal relationships when it comes to his work, I think it would be hard to do that when his relationships effect the office in profound ways. Ms. Yoshito, you were a witness to the defendant's less than discreet relationship with Kagura when they worked together were you not?"

"Yes, I was. There wasn't a person in the office during the two years that Sesshoumaru and Kagura were together that wished they were apart and not bringing unprofessional matters into the office. It was a distraction to us all."

"This distraction did eventually end?"

"It did, but at the expense of my friend and a great worker having to leave because she and Sesshoumaru couldn't work out their differences. And we all know that Sesshoumaru wasn't going anywhere."

"Ms. Yoshito, knowing what you know, would you deem Sesshoumaru trustworthy of being a good leader?"

"Not at all. I got to see how he operated. He made promises that he couldn't keep to his clients, to the people around him, his coworkers. It was all for show and for his benefit...

Nori's gaze became directed toward Rin as she finished. "He knows that all he has to do is tell people what they want to hear and when they least expect it…turn his back on them. He'll continue to do the same thing, again and again. I'm afraid that if he becomes responsible for this firm, it will only go downhill."

"Thank-you, Ms. Yoshito."

Was Nori intermingling her bitterness from a relationship with Sesshoumaru into how she viewed him running the firm? What _were_ the chances that Sesshoumaru made a promise to her just to keep her coming in hopes that the grass was greener on the other side? All that Rin could do was make an assumption and that wasn't going to do them much good.

"Your honor, I would like to request a short recess."

She'd barely heard Totosai grant the recess before she was pacing outside. Sesshoumaru remained silent as he watched her, trying to read her mood.

"You knew Nori was married, you knew she was Kagura's friend, did you know about the divorce?"

"No, however I did know her marriage was on the rocks when she came to me after Kagura left. We did get together occasionally but I had to end it. She recently approached me again and I turned her down. Despite the way it looks, I'm not responsible for the divorce."

"..." Rin looked away. This should not have been a surprise, it shouldn't have bothered her. After all, unless one had been living under a rock, the assortment of women who dropped through the office to see Sesshoumaru ran the spectrum from single to divorced but it was evident that half of them left angry from being turned down, heels hitting the floor hard enough to make dents and mumbling obscenities that the dictionary couldn't define. It was routine as she handed them his business card on the way out while delivering the rehearsed "Don't call him, he'll call you" line without batting an eyelash. It never hurt her to see them come and go, it never made her throat burn with forced back tears, and it never made her question if she was gambling her heart.

"You know there are others like Nori that I can't do anything about. I wasn't in love with them and I didn't care about protecting their feelings. I didn't stop to think about how it would effect the person that I could see a future with but I wish now that I had. I know that it's going to take time for you to trust me, but I intend to give you every reason to do so."

Rin felt his hand against her cheek catching the the tear before it fell. She swallowed the rest of them back. She loved him and there was nothing more that she wanted to do than to trust him...now.

...

Rin paused. It was evident to Sesshoumaru that Rin was still thrown off. She was struggling and her line of yes/no questions were novice error. This woman wasn't like Kasuto. She would keep her calm no matter what was brought up and much like Hiro had faced Lena, Rin wasn't sure if she was going to be able to make Nori stray from her story.

"Rin, do you have any further questions?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Well, get on with it."

Rin bit the inside of her lip as she looked at the clock. She didn't have any details. The moment she thought about it she smiled.

"Ms. Yoshito, you say that you don't think that Sesshoumaru would make a trustworthy or good leader because you got to see how he operated and how he treated his clients. What was this manner of operation? How exactly did he treat his clients?"

"He told them lies. He made them guarantees that he didn't hold to."

"Could you be more specific Ms. Yoshito? I'm not sure the jury knows what "lies and guarantees" that you speak of."

"He told clients all sorts of things...that he would find a way to prove their innocence no matter what."

"All sorts of things like what?"

"Well..."

"You'll have to speak up Ms. Yoshito."

"..."

"Unfortunately, I'm still not getting specifics from you. I think that your views of Sesshoumaru are quite personal. You are a woman scorned searching for her revenge."

"Please. I'm not scorned. Revenge has nothing to do with this."

"Doesn't it? You made it clear that you were no longer married, that you couldn't reconcile your differences, that you'd lost a friend in Kagura. All of those things you implied to tie in with my client."

"Sesshoumaru hurt Kagura. She was my friend and I lost her, lost contact with her when she left the firm."

Rin shook her head.

"Ms. Yoshito, the truth is that you only know half the story and everything else is hearsay. You say that it was Sesshoumaru who hurt Kagura, who sent her away and that you lost contact with her. Did you know that Kagura was the one to leave of her own guilt, that the child didn't belong to Sesshoumaru?"

"Kagura told me herself that he's the father."

"More lies? Because that's not the evidence that Kagura presented to me when I spoke with her in person. A DNA test."

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow as Rin met his eyes as she walked back to their table to grab the envelope. Whispers were stirring. Two words were barely audible to him as they escaped her. "Keep calm."

"According the results, Hiro is a ninety-nine percent match to Kagura's child..."

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw before letting it go. He'd heard Hiro try to object but be overruled as Totosai tried to restore order to the court that was currently gasping as if the scandal of the century had been uncovered.

Taisho scowled in Hiro's direction. His contempt for the employee was rising more drastically. The amount of deceit was becoming overwhelming, the hole was growing deeper by the moment and it had all started with the first time Hiro stepped foot in his house. Taisho returned his attention back to the young woman firing away again.

"And by the way, you might want to let the court know that you were jealous of Kagura because you wanted what she had all along, even if that meant cheating on your husband once Kagura was out of the picture to get it. You were desperate enough to end contact with her because of your guilt and destroy your marriage just to have what you wanted. When Sesshoumaru turned you down, you had nothing left to show for it but a divorce. The grass isn't always greener on the other side is it?"

"No. Sesshoumaru and I were perfect for each other. We could have had it all. We still can."

Sesshoumaru shook his head and put his attention on Rin, looking away from the tears the woman on the stand was now beginning to shed. He could take the angry words, the slammed doors, the ticked off looks but it was the tears that he avoided at all costs and he refused to ever let Rin feel the way Nori was feeling right now...brokenhearted.

"I'm sorry Ms. Yoshito, but the time has come to let things go and move on."

* * *

_A/N: More still to come. Thank you all for sticking with it and reading and reviewing!_

**Chapter 22 - **Trial in Error (III)


	22. Chapter 22

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 22 - Trial in Error (III)**

Sesshoumaru and Rin could feel the tension in the room. The shifting confusion of their counterparts was starting to become clarity that felt like support for the defense.

Exposing the fact that Kagura had left Sesshoumaru, not to mention that Hiro was the father of the child she'd been carrying was something Rin knew that Sesshoumaru wouldn't take easily and more than likely wouldn't have wanted exposed publicly but it gave him the one up in the eyes of the jury. It lent doubt. The person that they may have been viewing as a criminal was now a victim. If she was going to take a page out of Sesshoumaru's book, it was making the prosecution look guiltier than the defense. With Koru about to take the stand, the time had been right.

If they could have chosen the weakest of their four witnesses, it was in fact Koru. His inability to see the grey between the black and white was what worried she and Sesshoumaru the most. Koru was going to be brutally honest no matter who it was or what the occasion. The chance that they were going to find another female witness that didn't have a personal vendetta against Sesshoumaru was about as good as being struck by lightning; not impossible but improbable.

Sesshoumaru tried to keep his attention on Rin's line of questions which were more pointed, not as general as she'd kept them with Misha and Lena. But the thought remained as to how Hiro and Kagura managed this deception for two years. So, did Kagura have a point about not paying enough attention, not listening? It was clear during the meeting that Hiro was holding something over her head to keep her from telling the truth then, so how long had that been going on, since she started at the firm? The fights between Kagura and himself that hadn't made any sense back then were starting to make sense now. Half of them were about him not listening, not understanding that there was something else going on and the other half were an excuse to do what Hiro wanted her to do. And the money she was getting from him…was that going to Hiro too? Hiro had hefty paydays but was it enough to pay off the crooked cops, detectives, lawyers and anyone else he was getting information from and still live as lavishly as he did? Sesshoumaru was coming to the conclusion that all Hiro needed to do at this point was give him a hint of a reason to destroy him and make it look like an accident.

Rin nodded in agreement with most of Koru's responses to her questions, trying to expedite the long winded responses that weren't particularly helpful but not incriminating either. Her feigned attention to the responses left her trying to gain Hiro's reactions from her periphery. He'd since pulled himself back together and was trying to maintain the "high on the horse" attitude. Finally finishing her questioning, she returned to sit next to Sesshoumaru and whisper her next words while maintaining a professional posture.

"Is it normal to feel hostility toward the prosecution?"

"In this case, yes."

The response was more venomous than she wanted it to be. She hadn't all together understood why it was a bad idea to defend one's self as Taisho had said, but she understood now. There was no way Sesshoumaru could have been successful defending himself in this situation. That deadly of a demeanor would have had guilty written all over it.

As Hiro stood to question Koru, Rin sat back in her chair. Hiro wasn't going to get anywhere with Koru either.

"Mr. Simura, you've attested to Sesshoumaru's character but what I'm more interested in is how you see Sesshoumaru choosing his future employees should he take over the firm. Would you say that he's ever exhibited favoritism for a certain employee?"

"He…might."

Rin sat up, narrowing her eyes. Where exactly was Hiro trying to take this?

"And who _might_ this person be Mr. Simura?"

"Rin."

"Is there anything special about Ms. Kasata that you know of?"

"Not necessarily."

"So it's safe to assume that she simply does her job."

"Well, yes of course she does. She's..."

"Interesting. So, she doesn't have a higher degree, there's nothing all that special about Ms. Kasata so how is Sesshoumaru justified in showing any favoritism toward her?"

"Maybe favoritism isn't the best way to describe it Hiro..."

"So now you're changing the facts Mr. Simura?"

"No!"

"Then how would you describe it if it's not favoritism?"

"They're...they're"

Hiro barely allowed him to think on it and refused to let him answer the question despite the fact that he was asking them. Rin bit her tongue for the moment. If Hiro did this one more time, she was going to object.

"The way that I see things, Sesshoumaru doesn't have any reason to show a greater deal of interest in her aside from her body. She seems easy enough. Do you think he'll hire others that are just as easy to sleep with rather than looking at their credentials?"

""OBJECTION!""

"How dare you?!" Sesshoumaru raised a brow. If a calm fire had a name it would surely be called Rin. After three months this once quiet smiling girl had turned into a confident woman and she wasn't about to let Hiro tarnish her reputation.

Rin glanced Sesshoumaru, slightly surprised that he was standing right there beside her and waiting for Totosai to throw out this question with haste. Hiro knew the question was off before he asked it. He was looking to get a rise out of them just to add to his twisted satisfaction.

Totosai narrowed his eyes. If there was anything he didn't like, it was shady lawyers. "I suggest you move on. I'll ask the jury to disregard that ill formed question. Mr. Takahashi, please let Ms. Kasata do her job. I don't need both of you yelling objections at the same time."

Hiro simply smirked at Sesshoumaru and Rin as they sat and put his hands up in a sarcastic apology.

"My apologies to the lovely couple. I'll move on."

With Hiro's questions back on track to the road to nowhere, Rin allowed the anger to fade before a smile started to pull at her lips. She could see the confusion run over Sesshoumaru's features as she started to write something on a piece of paper and slid it over to him. She felt a bit of high school nostalgia but risking being seen whispering something to him after Hiro's comment didn't seem quite right.

_Thank you for breaking the rules and standing up for me!_

_There are no rules I won't break when it comes to defending you._

For Hiro to insinuate that Rin was by any means "easy" was so far from the truth that they couldn't even classify it as a lie. Koru might not have been one to really give compliments but Rin worked just as hard if not harder than all of them and accepted less pay for it with a smile.

There were few people that could have done what Rin was doing now in a span of three months. But Sesshoumaru knew there was a reason that she could. Curiosity had gotten the better of him and a background check was all it took. He smirked at the thought that Rin could have a _bad _side if he could call it that. She hadn't been honest with his father during her interview to get the job at the firm. She and her resume were two different people.

Rin did her best to keep the smile at bay but Sesshoumaru wasn't making it easier. She was going to have to keep that smirk out of her periphery. The moment ended as quickly as she'd thought about it. Hiro's announcement of his last witness could have wiped the smirk off of anyone's face.

For Sesshoumaru, it had been easy to think of who it was going to be but Taisho was paying close attention to the man walking up to stand. Hisoto Shibuya.

* * *

_A/N: I realized I hadn't given Rin a last name until now :P My thanks as always everyone :) _

**Chapter 23: Trial in Error (IV) **_  
_


	23. Chapter 23

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 23 - Trial in Error (IV)**

Sesshoumaru could see the pursed line of his father's mouth as he looked at Hisoto. There was no doubt that the elder was trying to understand how their rival had become tied into a matter that should have only been specific to their firm.

This witness had trouble written all over him. Hisoto's posture sitting on the stand almost made him look as if he was waiting for prey to approach too closely and when they least expected it, eat them alive. Sesshoumaru knew a veteran attorney like Hisoto would be a hard case for Rin to crack. She would do well just to stay on her feet and keep asking questions.

Rin watched Hiro adjust his tie and throw a wink her way. She paid little attention to his egotistical antics now. Yes, it annoyed her that he was still confident despite the two witnesses she'd shot down but she couldn't show it. Everything that Hiro was doing now was to throw her off or bring more of her emotions into the case.

Hiro took his time to form his first question.

"Mr. Shibuya you know the defendant, Sesshoumaru Takahashi yes?"

"Of course. How could I overlook the son of one of my biggest rivals, Taisho Takahashi?"

"I assume that you've heard that Taisho will be retiring."

"Yes. I assure I will miss our face to face meetings."

"I'm sure many of his colleagues at his firm will miss him as well, maybe so much so that they wouldn't be willing to stay. It's unfortunate that so many of them didn't have as warm of feelings toward Sesshoumaru as evidence by other witnesses."

"I suppose that's why Sesshoumaru contacted me."

Sesshoumaru almost laughed. Hiro was supposed to be proving that he'd lied under oath about his credentials, that he wasn't fit to run the firm, yet every witness that Hiro had brought to the stand had in fact lied under oath. It wasn't a secret that lawyers would bend the truth to a certain extent but Hiro's string of lies didn't have a start or an end and all they were now was a tangled web of a mess. Sesshoumaru couldn't understand how Hiro was keeping track of all of the lies. What was more disturbing was that he'd gotten Hisoto to agree to this disgusting account. Money had no shame and was speaking loud and clear.

"What did he contact you about?"

"A merger."

"A merger?"

"Yes. You could imagine my surprise. But it soon became clear to me that there was concern over how many of his colleagues would leave the firm with the knowledge that it would be passed to him. It made sense to me that he would have their replacements ready and waiting at the door."

"It sounds to me as if Sesshoumaru wasn't concerned with trying to persuade them to stay or making any changes in his ways."

"I guess not. We signed into agreement to finalize things once the firm was his."

"Is this the document you speak of?" Hiro allowed him to look at the paper he'd presented.

"Yes, that's it."

"It seems to me like Sesshoumaru would be getting something else out of this merger as well. Your experience, yes?"

"Of course. I think Sesshoumaru knows he'd be in over his head to run the firm on his own. Of course you couldn't expect him to admit that. He wouldn't want to let his father down I'm sure."

Rin listened as Hisoto continued to dig the hole deeper for them. To the jury, who didn't know the truth, the story would sound plausible. Another forged document, and a phone call for correspondence to make it seem real. Her mind raced back to the night that she and Sesshoumaru stayed late at the office trying to decide if the password that Kagura had given them would be going against the rules. She tried to justify every letter and every number that he'd typed turning into a nondescript star in the box on Hiro's screen. But now, she no longer cared that he'd pressed the enter button without hesitation. What they hadn't been prepared for was opening up the equivalent to Pandora's box. The files went for miles. Truths, covered by mounds of lies hidden by another system of letters and numbers that didn't even match case numbers.

Hiro finished his questioning with Hisoto speaking on terms nearly as if they were old friends and obviously so.

Rin looked Hisoto in the eyes. They didn't waver. He was sure of himself. She guessed he couldn't consider his untruths lies if he believed them.

"Mr. Shibuya, I think that it's necessary to start with the basics. I want to make sure that I'm clear on your side to this story. Your claim is that Sesshoumaru contacted you about a merger?"

"Yes."

"You do realize that there's a very easy way to verify this?"

"Of course."

"Do you remember what day you claim that Sesshoumaru called you?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, according to the office phone records, my client spoke with you once and let the record show that it was an incoming call."

"Clever to paint that picture but I assure that Sesshoumaru and I spoke more than once. There's more than one way to correspond in this day and age and I assure that by now, any of the countless e-mails were erased without a trace. I'm afraid your client hasn't been truthful with you either."

"We'll be getting to who has been truthful with who in just a moment. In any case, we can't overlook the phone records just yet. You said that it became clear to you that my client wanted a merger out of concern of losing several colleagues. Are you sure there was no one else who spoke with you on such details?"

"No. Sesshoumaru told me himself."

"Then, please speak to the jury about the countless phone calls between yourself and Hiro before any plans for this trial were established. All of them were made after Taisho announced his retirement to the firm."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm afraid that the ink on this paper certainly does. I find it interesting that you don't remember real conversations but you remember every detail of the one you made up."

"The only one who seems to be making up anything is you."

"Hardly Mr. Shibuya. But I do understand that you don't want the court to know the truth. You don't want them to know that you and Hiro have been making plans, that you and Hiro made a deal, that if he wins this trial and takes over the firm for a few months that in that time he's going to merge with you in return for your generosity in helping to win this case. Did he tell you he was that desperate? You must have known right?"

Shibuya maintained an un-phased expression until it turned into something Sesshoumaru despised. He was pitying Rin. "Did Sesshoumaru teach you that or did you think up this lie of an accusation all by yourself? I applaud your efforts but Hiro and I have made no such deal. The only deal I've made is with Sesshoumaru. Might you have any more pertinent questions in your arsenal dear woman?"

"I do actually."

"I'd like to hope so."

Rin trained her gaze to his. It didn't matter what evidence she presented, Hisoto looked past it as if it was nothing. He wasn't making anything easy and the ability to connect questions was getting harder by the moment.

"I have a few questions left for you Mr. Shibuya."

He raised his brows and nodded urging her to continue.

"You said that my client signed an agreement to finalize things for a merger once the firm was his am I right?"

"Yes."

"My client claims he did no such thing, the signature isn't his and what was presented to you was in fact from Hiro."

"A false claim I'm afraid."

"Were you aware that Hiro was the one that presented our firm with the signed document in a meeting? Your assistant, who is also the mother of Hiro's child dropped it off."

"I wasn't aware."

"You're unaware of so much Mr. Shibuya that it's a wonder why you're even here to testify against my client."

"His signature is on that paper, nothing else matters."

"But it does matter when the signature is a forgery."

"More false accusations."

"No."

Rin pulled a box from underneath the table that she and Sesshoumaru were sitting at and allowed it to come to a rest with an ear jarring thud in front of Hisoto.

"What's this supposed to be?"

"My arsenal. Every falsified document from the prosecuting attorney sitting here in this courtroom..."

"Objection your honor! She has no grounds for this!"

Hiro shot Rin a glare and she returned it with a smile and wink. Sesshoumaru found himself smiling at this devious display.

"Overruled Hiro. I need to hear this."

"Agreed."

Everyone turned their attention to Taisho, hearing his voice for the first time since they'd started this trial. Not wanting to call attention he gave a slight nod acknowledging the comment. The attention seemed to rest again on Rin but hers lingered on the passing glance between Sesshoumaru and his father. She didn't quite understand what it meant. Was Taisho acknowledging an error? Had this trial become more serious than he initially intended?

"So, Mr. Shibuya, are you so sure that Sesshoumaru was the one who signed this document? Judging by this box, Hiro's quite good at signing things for others and telling stories that don't exist."

For once Shibuya didn't have a remark. Instead Rin finished.

"You're free to exit the stand if you can see your way around it."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. If Rin shot down the last two witnesses then she'd buried Shibuya under Hiro's forgeries and she'd just made his testimony easier. As Rin sat next to him a thought passed through his mind that he wouldn't dare go up against this woman if she ever became a lawyer. At least not in her first year. He had a reputation to maintain in the eyes of the National Bar Association and there would only be one way to justify that loss.

"Pff" Rin nearly rolled her eyes as she smiled and shook her head at the whispered words Sesshoumaru spoke into her ear before he got up to take the stand. He still knew how to play a woman's heart.

_ I think I want to marry you._

* * *

_A/N: What man wins against his wife no? :) Thank you all for continuing to read and review. It's been a long time coming!_

**_Chapter 24:_ **Trial in Error (**V**erdict)


	24. Chapter 24

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 24 - Trial in Error (V**erdict**)**

Rin never wanted Sesshoumaru to take the stand which is why she'd asked him to go last. Most of the members of the jury had made their own decisions at this point. There was no further evidence that they could supply. She wouldn't be surprised but Hiro shouldn't have anything significant left to relinquish to the jury. What was he planning to use?

Sesshoumaru waited as Hiro paced in front of him. The glare in the attorney's eyes hardly bothered him. It was never more evident that Hiro was in a pinch and digging deep.

"Mr. Takahashi I'm sure that you always believed, once you got on with the firm, that your father would leave it in your hands when he left."

"What's your question?"

"Would it have surprised you if your father brought up someone else's name for the position?"

"My father wouldn't choose anyone other than family."

"You're not answering the question Mr. Takahashi so I'll try it again. Would it have been a surprise had your father mentioned that anyone, other than you, was up for the position?"

"Yes."

"Of course it would have and your father did just that when he offered me the position should you fail to change your ways in these past three months leading up to the trial."

"The offer was not indefinite."

"Even so, your father still made it. Why do you think that is?"

"I'm not a mind reader Hiro."

"What if I told you, I know exactly why your father offered me the position?"

"..."

"He didn't trust you. He didn't trust his own son and how could he?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on Sesshoumaru, everyone knows that you and your father were barely on speaking terms a couple of years ago around the same time you and Kagura were making scenes in the office. The only time the two of you spoke was when your father was trying to glue the office back together and keep you and Kagura from coming undone again. It seems to me, his faith in you changed drastically after that. Or maybe it was after the amount of times he had to wipe the disappointed look off his face when you walked out of the office with yet another random woman hanging off your arm. Maybe it wasn't even that. It was probably the fact that you treated your coworkers with the same respect as the dirt you walked on. Did you see the disappointment then?"

Sesshoumaru didn't know why his father thought it necessary to even allow Hiro the opportunity to run the firm, even if it was only for a little while should he lose in this trial. Was it that his father didn't trust him or was there another reason for this trial that his father hadn't let him in on? Either way, he couldn't dwell on it. He'd promised Rin he wouldn't be phased by anything Hiro brought out and he was determined to keep her from feeling any greater pressure than she was already.

"Hiro, your words hold the weight of air. There was no disappointment to be seen and any claim that you know anything of my relationship with my father is false. The only relationship you should be concerned with now is the one between yourself and your child."

"It's so easy to turn things around. You know that your father changed his mind about leaving the firm to you. You were worried that your father would forsake you, so you put on a show for the past three months, right down to taking care of a child you ignored the few times your father brought him to the office just so he could find a hint of worth in you again. I guess you thought no one saw that either. Why don't you make it easy on all of us here and admit that the changes you've made in these last three months are going to be short lived?"

"Because that would be a lie. And I prefer not to add to the insurmountable number of lies that you already have burying you in your own grave. That would be unjust in itself."

"Hmph, I truly feel for the coworkers who have been fooled by your display and possibly more so if they believe the denial of a merger with Hisoto that your attorney is claiming."

It didn't matter that Hiro had just finished questioning him, trying to use his father against him when none of the office ever really knew his father's motivations. He'd caught the wink and smile on Rin's face and found the air lighter as she slyly flirted on her way up to greet him at the stand. What did this brilliant woman have up her sleeve? Whatever it was, he would follow her lead.

"Mr. Takahashi, may I call you Sesshoumaru?"

He gave a slight nod as she returned it and continued.

"How would you describe your relationship with your father?"

"Probably a better relationship than the average person could claim."

"Would it be safe to say that you and your father are close?"

"Yes."

"Hiro said that you and your father weren't on speaking terms but I find that very difficult to believe when the two of you saw each other everyday and had to communicate on a regular basis. I'm assuming you and your father didn't see eye to eye on every situation but that's not unlike the typical family, would you agree?"

"Agreed."

"It also seems to me that if your father didn't trust you, he wouldn't have left you in charge of the firm for three months while he was miles away on vacation much less left your younger brother with you to watch during his entire absence. I know that if I didn't trust someone, family or not, I surely wouldn't leave my child with them. I also wonder why he didn't just leave Hiro in charge if he believed that he would be a better fit. Any idea?"

"My father knew Inuyasha would be safe with me despite any disagreement we may have had in the past. He never had the intention of leaving the firm in Hiro's hands. My father worked too hard to leave the firm in the hands of someone who didn't know it's inner workings and I never missed the opportunity to learn more about the position."

"It sounds like you are highly devoted to your father's firm. So, entertaining a merger...?"

"The thought never crossed my mind. I would never agree to merge my father's firm. When Hisoto contacted me, the one time that he did, the decline to his offer could not have been more clear. It would seem to me that Hiro did what he does best by presenting falsified information. My signature never came close to the document he presented."

"My thoughts exactly. Sesshoumaru, there is no question that you're great at what you do, but because of it, people forget that you're human don't they? They forget that you aren't perfect and those who are jealous use every mistake you make against you. They examine you through a microscope and pin you as the cause of every negative situation never believing that you could be the one on the receiving end. They refuse to believe that you would ever succumb to the damages of life."

Sesshoumaru watched her gaze land on the jury as she continued to refer to him.

"They claim you ignored your father's child. They don't realize the difficulty of watching your little brother, that's the same age as the child you believed to be your own, grow up. They don't get the pain of watching him everyday after being lied to and having one you believed to be your own, suddenly snatched away. Not only that, but in the same moment, lose the person you love. They don't realize that you heard the gossip that you were never meant to hear and yet they wonder why you don't smile and greet them in the morning when all you want to do is shut them out..."

She was playing him as the victim again. The moment the thought entered, he erased it. She wasn't playing anything. All she was using was the truth.

He'd listened to her use his testimony as her closing argument. She was letting the jury know that there was nothing left to prove and that he was free of guilt despite Hiro's claims. It was up to them to make the rightful decision.

… …

After Hiro' closing argument, the jury was given an hour to deliberate. Rin looked over at Hiro as he tapped his pen against the table. He'd been watching the clock, maybe right down to every second of every minute. The jury hadn't even taken twenty minutes good. She turned her attention back on Sesshoumaru. He seemed relaxed but not unfocused. For a moment she wondered what the chances were that they hadn't won.

Sesshoumaru was confident in Rin's defense and it only took one member of the jury to be unsure of guilt for them to win. He heard a few shaky breaths leave her as she clasped her hands in her lap. He steadied them as he placed his hand over hers and felt her slowly relax as she leaned against him. No matter what the decision was, he'd already won.

Totosai looked over the decision carefully before reading the verdict, dragging the words out in his usual demented fashion.

"This has truly been a unique mock trial. Quite exhilarating from both sides, prosecution and defense. It has been quite the treat to judge this case. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. You know back in the old days we didn't do this kind of thing. We just rolled the dice and prayed we didn't get snake eyes but who's judging? I guess that's me…"

Sesshoumaru smiled at Rin's rolling of eyes and then the shaking of head against his shoulder, probably more out of exhaustion from the whole trial than Totosai's ramblings.

"Almost there." He whispered.

"…but anyway, I will get on with reading the verdict I suppose. It's such a shame that this has to come to an end. In reference to count of perjury, the defendant was found... Not Guilty."

The court erupted in cheers and applause that drowned out of the anger of those who opposed and exited fairly quickly.

Rin sat there frozen, the whisper barely coming forward, "We won?"

He didn't take the time to answer her question with words.

Rin got her answer in a hot kiss that melted her position and left the blush on her face trying to play catch up. The moment Misha and Lena started into a chorus of ooohs and awwws, she buried her face against his shoulder as she heard Sesshoumaru let out a quiet nervous laugh. They hadn't forgotten where they were, they'd just forgotten that they hadn't shared a kiss publicly.

Sesshoumaru wished they could have had the moment a little longer but Taisho was certain that there was something more important on the agenda.

"Sesshoumaru, I would like to see you Rin and Hiro in my office."

* * *

A/N: I had a million ideas running through my head for the next couple of chapters and couldn't figure out where to end this one, thus the reason it took longer for me to update. I certainly thank you for your patience, reading, and reviewing :)

**Chapter 25: **Loose Ends


	25. Chapter 25

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 25 - Loose Ends**

Taisho paced the office clearly unsettled and near anger if he wasn't already there. Sesshoumaru was well aware that his father was not happy with this mock trial. Yes, the trial was supposed to seem as real as possible but there were limitations of which all three of them surpassed. Hiro had exposed personal information that had nothing to do with the case, and brought a rival firm in on the trial when it should have remained specific to the firm. He and Rin were guilty of accessing protected information with the password Kagura had provided them. Granted it was for good reason but that didn't mean they had the right to do it. If his father had been worried about losing employees before, he would definitely be worried now. The trial had now split the office into the three quarter following he and Rin had compared to the quarter that Hiro had. Still, it was a lot of employees to lose should they decide to leave. The question was who were they more loyal to, Hiro or his father?

Rin found herself in the office again in the same center chair that she'd taken as Taisho announced the conditions of the trial to Sesshoumaru and Hiro. The nervousness this time wasn't what she'd agreed to rather what she'd said and done. Was Taisho pleased with what they'd done or were they all about to lose their jobs? The latter made her stomach turn and feel the way she had ten years ago when she was standing in front of a judge for an incident that she wanted to erase from her memory. She hadn't thought about it again until now and hearing Taisho's voice, although nerve-wracking in its own way, was the distraction that she needed to keep from dwelling on it any longer.

"I am disappointed at the turn of events that has occurred here. In a matter of three months, the office became divided, not simply for the purposes of this trial but on a more personal level. Not only that, a rival firm now sees exactly where we stand among each other…divided. I want you all to know that there was more to this mock trial than to promote hardy competition. Hiro, you and Sesshoumaru do that on a regular basis anyway. The other purpose was to see just how far you would go to win a case...Hiro. And as expected, you turned this into a destructive war of demeaning fellow coworkers and friends, and attempts to destroy relationships. It is clear to me that you had no intentions of bettering this firm. Your intentions were solely to benefit yourself at the expense of Sesshoumaru's reputation."

"What reputation? Taisho what they presented in there was a well planned rouge."

"Hiro, trust me when I say that your career was over before this trial ever began. I already suspected you and a select few others of illegal dealings and the more you came to me about keeping the firm out of Sesshoumaru's hands the more that I wanted the extra grounds to get rid of you. When Kagura left the firm, your level of security left with it and let's just say…"

Rin didn't question Taisho's outstretched hand that led her out of the middle and into the chair behind his desk. He might have highlighted her but the purpose was more simple and even more clear as Sesshoumaru came to rest at the other edge of the desk…protection.

"…that Rin just finished federal's job for them."

"What are you saying?"

"You should direct the rest of your questions to the one who's now in charge. I would say that you know him well but that would be a lie."

"Taisho..."

Sesshoumaru refused to let him go on. "Hiro, you're fired and should you get off the grounds before being arrested, I will applaud you."

"You can't fire me!"

"He just did." Rin crossed her arms over her chest. The thought of not having to deal with Hiro another day in the office brought sheer joy.

"You…!" Hiro stood and moved toward the desk before finding himself in an uncomfortable space between Sesshoumaru and Taisho.

Sesshoumaru took the liberty of making sure Hiro took at least two steps backwards and toward the door.

"I decided not to destroy you for what you did to Kagura and me, but if you ever try to touch Rin, you won't see the light of another day. I think you're at least smart enough to realize the difference between a threat and a promise."

Hiro backed away from them, trying to remain as threatening as he could despite the disgruntled appearance he now sported. The wrinkles of the shirt where Sesshoumaru's fists had been to move him the two feet he'd gone beyond his own will, were probably past the point of straightening out by any manual means.

Rin met his eyes and didn't look away as he spoke.

"Don't think this is over."

"We won't. We'll see you in court."

He scowled before turning to leave and running right into Kagura's path.

"I guess I won't have to worry about Kaze knowing who his father is. He'll be in jail for the rest of his life."

"You won't get a dime from me."

"Please. Your existence isn't worth half that."

He brushed past her only for her to see him get arrested.

Sesshoumaru watched his ex shift uncomfortably before she looked up at him.

"I know you probably won't think anything of it this time, but I'm…"

"You don't have to say anything. You didn't have to give Rin the information that you did, but I don't know that we would have won without it."

She took a breath trying to keep the other officer out of her periphery as he approached.

Rin remembered their conversation at the bar. If Hiro went down Kagura was going down with him but that wasn't necessarily true. Maybe Kagura hadn't initially been blackmailed but she was as time went on. She could at least get off on a much lighter sentence.

"Kagura don't worry. Things will turn out ok. You'll see."

"I know. Kaze's in good hands until things get straightened out. I didn't want to run from this anymore and just seeing the look on Hiro's face when he lost was enough." She smiled as she looked at Sesshoumaru. He had the chance that he deserved

Sesshoumaru gave her a slight nod as she mouthed the last few words to him before being led away. She still loved him. It would be impossible to forget her...not to care about her but he had moved on. There was someone else more important in his life now and she deserved all of his heart.

Taisho turned to the two remaining in the room.

"I must commend the two of you on a job well done. Sesshoumaru, I trust that this firm will do well in your hands as I always have. I'm glad to see that you've developed some relationships and gained more trust with your coworkers which you've done flawlessly in these last three months. I'm also glad to see that your two-year crush is no longer just a crush. Good job! You can thank your old man later."

Sesshoumaru shook his head hoping that Rin had somehow lost her hearing in regard to his father's last few words. The smile on her face was telling him otherwise.

"Rin, I must say that your skills in the mock trial were quite impressive. I think Totosai had something right. I don't think in all my years I've seen anything like that. You acted as if the questioning was second nature to you. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Just a quick learner I suppose."

"I suppose you could be a quick learner. But, I don't think that's what it was. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for young lady."

"Rin…"

She looked at Sesshoumaru as he addressed her.

"Did you or did you not lie to my father to get hired onto the firm?"

All of a sudden she was back in front of the judge again. She looked at Taisho then back to Sesshoumaru.

"I…didn't…I mean…I did but I didn't..."

He raised a brow, "Which one is it?"

"I did."

"About?"

"I didn't think he would hire me if he knew my real gpa or that I had a blemish on my record."

"Your gpa wasn't a 2.5 was it?"

"No. It was a 4.0 and ok yes I took honors college courses and maybe I was a little further ahead than I led on but I didn't want to seem overqualified for the position. I just needed a job."

"And the blemish on your record?"

"I...kind of got caught shoplifting ten years ago. I was stealing food and for the record, I never did it again."

Taisho was mildly surprised but hardly concerned. "Well, that explains it. She knows her way around the system."

"Looks are deceiving."

"What do you think we should do with her son? Locking her away and throwing away the key would be slight overkill."

"I think I have something better in mind. I'm sentencing her to reduced work hours…"

She stood up before he could finish, "Sesshoumaru, I can't afford reduced hours. I can't believe after all of this…!"

"...so that she can finish the schooling that we'll pay her to go back and receive."

"...?" She didn't know what to say.

"And by the way, that "blemish" on your record isn't there anymore."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for sticking with it everyone! I appreciate all the reviews :)_

**_Chapter 26:_** _Life, Love & Law_


	26. Chapter 26

**Law and Disorder**

_I don't own Inuyasha_

**Chapter 26 - Life, Love & Law**

The view of the city now was different now. He wondered if the errand boy had worked his way up the ladder or if the dog walker maybe owned a pet shop. How many sales had the Realtor made since that fateful day losing the heel to her shoe and the street vendor? Maybe he'd found a better job elsewhere. How had their lives changed? Their ghost images were replaced now by the woman who never missed kissing her husband good-bye on the corner right before his cab took off for work, a mother with her two young ones as they walked to the school, and the store advertiser who made the best of things listening to music and dancing while holding up a sign to persuade potential customers to enter the store. For all of them, including himself, life moved forward.

In the past, he'd settled for living life without leaving his heart in someone else's hands. But she'd walked into the firm on her first day with that smile on her face, an addictively bubbly personality and all the warmth ten women put together couldn't produce and he couldn't stop watching her. She'd made it easier to focus on work rather than the ordeal that left his heart in need of repair and never ceased to make the days brighter. It was those same characteristics that made her dangerous and the reason that he'd wanted to keep her at a distance. The fear of being pulled into a deep relationship only for it to end in his heart being broken again was hardly what he wanted. But like a magnet, she'd pulled him in and he realized that the love they shared now was inevitable.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her voice as she moved past the doorway. The minute Rin hit the clock she was working. He observed the back of her as she talked to the assistant most likely naming off her own agenda for the day and making light of it as she and the assistant shared a laugh. Her hand was placed against her back beside the tidy little pink bow in the back of her blouse that was misleading when you compared it to the way that she ripped people in two in court. But that pink bow was also representative of the woman who was special to him and no one else. She was the one that liked to sleep in with him in the mornings, cuddle like they'd never have another chance to do so, or play around like they were still kids.

Rin nodded along to the information the assistant was repeating back to her to make sure she had everything right. Rin peaked over her shoulder to see if he was watching her rather than the window this morning. Satisfied, she turned her attention back to the assistant as she smiled and ran her fingers through her hair all the while shifting her weight onto her other leg giving her more of a curve to her hips, not that she really needed it at this point. He never let her feel for a moment that he was growing tired or impatient of her. Even when she wasn't looking her best he didn't seem to care. If she felt bad he picked her up and if he couldn't he wouldn't leave her side. He was where she was at all times and nothing got in his way when she needed him. Still, it made her feel just a little sexier to know that she still had the ability to peak his interest even now.

Rin looked over her shoulder again and noticed that smirk that she loved so much starting to form. She shifted the ring on her finger back and forth with her thumb. It wasn't the one that Kagura had given her to return to Sesshoumaru. When she'd questioned what Sesshoumaru did with it she didn't get a full answer that day. Instead she'd gotten it a few weeks later when he handed her a small box with a bow on top for her birthday. When she'd opened it, she knew she would have to provide her old car with a sentimental good-bye. How could she deny the new one sitting in the drive way?

Noticing Rin turn back toward her office he turned his attention back on the window until his view was obstructed.

"Guess who."

"Well if this is Sara Sukido, then I need to run like hell."

Rin started laughing. Sara hadn't called in some time. She guessed that knowing they were married helped to keep Sesshoumaru from being harassed even though the woman called a few more times before finally giving up.

"You're safe. Guess again."

"If I'm safe this must be no one other than Rin Takahashi. DA and Partner of this firm."

"You are ninety percent correct."

"Only ninety percent?"

"You're missing my favorite title."

He started to face her but she was already headed for the door. She winked as she looked back.

"Don't forget about Inuyasha's birthday party tonight."

He nodded before thinking of her favorite title. He knew exactly which one she was talking about and it had nothing to do with work. It was the one she carried at home.

… …

Inuyasha laughed and blew out all seven candles as everyone finished singing.

"Can I open my presents now?"

Taisho playfully sighed and thought it over for a moment.

"Well…I guess you can finally open one."

Inuyasha sprinted over to the largest gift first.

"It's from Sesshoumaru and Rin."

Sesshoumaru and Rin watched in amusement as Inuyasha seemed to be enjoying the mere ripping of the paper off the box. As large as it was, unbeknownst to him, the only requirement to see what was inside was to lift the box.

"Inuyasha…"

Sesshoumaru stopped Rin from saying anything. He was enjoying Inuyasha's attack on the box. It had taken him a while to get used to his little brother calling him by his first name rather than big brother but it stuck and only on the occasion did Inuyasha verbally remind him that big brother was still his title. Of course now, the wrestling matches were a completely new reminder.

Once Inuyasha was satisfied that he'd ripped all the paper off, he walked around the box trying to find a way to open it. He looked at Rin and Sesshoumaru shrugging in the process as if completely baffled before Rin pointed down at the bottom of it.

Lifting the box, Inuyasha's face immediately lit up and he took no time getting on the bike.

They all hoped that this one had a better chance against Inuyasha's reckless side. The child had no fear of rolling down steep hills or any uneven surface that presented a challenge and Inuyasha might have been a little too helpful when Taisho and Sesshoumaru both tried to fix the last one. It was a lost cause.

They all seemed to be clapping and laughing about something after a song and opening a box but that cake on the table looked too yummy to ignore. Crawling up underneath it she pulled herself up onto one of the chairs, a little wobbly at first, but she could do it. She'd accomplished the seat. So close yet still so far away. Finally onto a table she reached her palm out as her mom called her name.

"Kaname!"

She giggled as Sesshoumaru picked her up and she placed two cake filled palms against her mouth. She had no idea why they were surprised, of course she would share despite the fact that her father was doing everything in his ability to keep those little palms away. Why was he moving so much? Didn't he like cake? Well, she would just have to try harder. There.

Rin started to laugh and tried to keep from falling over on the couch as she winced. There the flawless DA stood, daughter in arms, a cheek smeared with cake. Kaname was completely oblivious to Sesshoumaru's demeanor which meant there was never a dull moment between the two of them. Sesshoumaru had met his match in this little princess that never got tired of being daddy's girl.

"Daddy"

Who in their right mind could get upset with this little one? Those two pigtails of silver hair held up by purple ribbons bobbed as she giggled and offered up the remaining cake. He sighed before shrugging and eating the rest of it right out of her hand. The cuteness always seemed to get him.

The corner of destroyed cake didn't seem to bother Inuyasha. The child had laughed and embraced it by grabbing his own handful while devilishly backing his brother into a corner as he'd handed Kaname off to Rin.

"Inuyasha don't..."

Rin smiled through the ordeal for fear that laughing might make the pain she'd been feeling all day worse. She didn't want to cut the visit short if she didn't need to. Instead she focused on Kaname's enjoyment of this sweet battle as the child clapped those icing filled palms together that only egged her little uncle on.

Rin could only predict their drive home as she took a deep breath. She'd been trying to keep the pains away since she'd gone into work that morning.

…

He noticed Rin place her hand on her stomach as Kaname slept peacefully against his shoulder. It wasn't the first sign she'd shown that day. When she was talking to the assistant, she'd placed her hand against her back. Rin hated that position and always tried to compensate for it. She claimed it made her feel like the old barefoot and pregnant wife. She'd taken one too many deep breaths and she'd struggled to remain sitting up during the birthday party when she really wanted to lay down. The minute she hooked her arm through his to help her up the steps to their home he knew.

"Sesshoumaru…"

"You've been having them all day haven't you?"

"Yes."

"And you were planning to tell me when?"

It was fair that he would have this reaction, especially after she'd gotten him to reluctantly agree not to worry about her working or being out and about right up until the baby was born. She knew she should have started her leave and stayed at home today but...

"I wanted us to enjoy the party. So now...you can take me to the hospital or we can have the baby on the steps. I'm ready either way."

She tried to laugh as she'd done earlier but the contractions were too close and she needed to sit down.

"Just roll me back to the car."

"Rin this is no time to be joking."

Somehow she still managed a smile. "So you'd rather me be screaming like last time. Hold on…Aaaaaaaaaaaaah."

Sesshoumaru just shook his head, trying not to laugh at her as he put Kaname back in the car. The way Rin was taking it one would think this was her eighth child rather than the second and noone would have believed he'd witnessed the birth of Kaname and one other child.

Instead of watching the clock as they waited for their child to arrive, Rin decided to reminisce on the last five years she and Sesshoumaru were together. They'd been packed with life changing events. After the mock trial, Sesshoumaru took leadership of the firm as his father promised and she'd gone back to school. Sometimes she felt like she was putting Sesshoumaru back through school with all the questions she asked but he never failed to answer them. So when he popped _the question, _later that year she didn't hesitate to answer with a yes. They'd agreed to wait on having kids until she'd finished school but that didn't quite turn out the way they planned. Sesshoumaru rewarded her too much for A's and any other reason that crossed his mind. But she'd shown him that he didn't need a reason and he wasn't the only one that could start things and finish them. The result of all their fun was her crossing the stage in a cap and gown eight months pregnant. Her parents couldn't have been prouder and she'd only considered it even more special that Kaname was graduating with her. Sesshoumaru didn't miss a beat taking care of a newborn and her transition to work was easier than she'd planned. By the time she'd gotten used to being a DA, the double lines came up again and she knew Sesshoumaru was silently hoping for a son this time. In the same time she'd challenged her husband to a mock trial and he'd come up with every colorful excuse due to her being pregnant. She had the feeling he didn't want to lose not just to his wife but to his pregnant wife.

The clutch cutting off all circulation on his arm was the physical communication to him that she was pushing again. He stayed still for fear that those fingers would squeeze harder and he would start to mirror her facial expressions of pain. He'd waited all his life for the one, nine months for Kaname and now just a few moments away from…

"It's a boy."

His son. If his favorite title was dad, Rin's was surely mom.

Much in the same way of the birth of Kaname, the announcement of the their second child brought together all of their friends, family, and coworkers once again...the reminder that he and Rin had it all through life, love, and law.

**_End_**

* * *

A/N: Thank you all for reading and leaving awesome feedback. It has been a great run! In the future, I may consider following up on this story because I loved writing it so much, but for now I bid you adieu. Peace and love :) _**PinkDS**_


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